LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Shelf i<Q..&L £ 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



"Born of the Spirit." 



-OR- 



S FROM THE BOOK OF LIFE. 



A 
MIRACULOUS CONVERSION. 



THRILLING 
MANIFESTATIONS OF THE ALMIGHTY'S POWER, 



To Save the Sick, Feed the Hungry, and 
Clotlie the Naked. 



OUR COD IS UNCHANGEABLE. 

ARE THE DAYS OF MIRACLES PAST ? 

ANSWERED BY THE AUTHOR, 

REV. ZENAS 'OSBORNE* 

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY 

ELDER MOSES NATHANIEL DOWNIN 



u We use great plainness of speech." — Paul 
'And the common people heard Him gladly." — Mark. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y. 

TOIEiaNr J-CKHCTSTSOTSr Sc oo, 

1 8 8 8 . 







Entered according to the act of 

Congress in the year 1888, 

BY REV. ZENAS OSBORNE, 

In the office of the 

Librarian of Congress, 

at Washington, DC. 



INTRODUCTION. 



IXTKODITCTIOX. 



One of the specialties of this age is book- 
making. This argues demand. This demand, 
especially in the realm of morals and religion 
is based, partly on the prevalence of erroneous 
theories and the importance of their refuta- 
tion; partly on the necessity that renewed and 
increased emphasis be given to the word of 
God; partly on the existence of what is called 
"advanced thought," and partly on the fact of 
a great reading public. Then let the good 
work go on. The servants of sin and error are 
busy and persistent in pushing their produc- 
tions to the front. Let the sons of "grace and 
truth" magnify their office, and "hold forth 
the Word of Life." The demand for good and 
useful books will increase as long as error in- 
creases, as long as truth and the Church of 
Christ are antagonized. 

Of all human interest that of the soul is par- 



4 INTRODUCTION. 

amount. The truth which leads to its posses- 
sion is priceless. The vehicles of truth are 
various and many. Truth is the enemy and 
exterminator of error, and when harnessed for 
war it pursues and overtakes its foe, and vic- 
torious, it shines the brighter, and is the more 
appreciated by the contests through which its 
laurels are won. "The words of the wise are 
as goods, and as nails fastened by the masters 
of assemblies. 5 ' The preservation of their 
words is a sacred boon to the world. 

The author of "Born of the Spirit, 5 ' or 
"Gems from the Book of Life," has hit on a 
taking title for his book, and without doubt, 
the careful and thoughtful reader will find that 
it is fully justified by the subject matter of its 
pages. It is with great pleasure I introduce 
Mr. Osboene to the reader. I have known 
him nearly thirty years, and have been associ- 
ated with him in the work of God in the Sus- 
quehanna Annual Conference of the F. M. 
Church over twenty years. He is known to be 
an able minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. He 
has a religious experience. He has been "born 
again, not of blood, nor of the will of the 



INTRODUCTION. 

flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." 
The many years he has spent in the Gospel 
ministry and his deep Christian experience 
have not only enabled him to gather many 
"Gems from the Book of Life," but also have 
qualified him to speak with no uncertain sound 
ou the topics treated in his book. 

The arrangement of the work is admirable, 
being in short chapters, each one complete in 
itself. May it have a wide sale, not only 
throughout the denomination of his choice, but 
also in thousands of homes in the "regions be- 
yond." And wherever it goes may it demol- 
ish error, encourage Christian faith, inspire 
Christian zeal, intensify Christian love; and 
may the author, having grown gray and nearly 
worn out in the service of Christ, find at the 
resurrection of the just not only that he is 
counted among that redeemed throng, but also 
that his "Born of the Spirit," his "Gems from 
the Book of Life," has, by the blessing of God, 
added a multitude to that count. 

M. N. Downing. 
Binghamton, K Y., April 24, 1888. 



DEDICATION. 



Dedication. 



To the memory of her who became my com- 
panion when we first set sail on the domestic 
voyage of life, and who for seventeen years, 
by her amiability, Christian integrity, and 
faithfulness as a wife and mother, made home 
earth's Paradise; and subsequently to her who 
for nearly twenty-five years has stood so hero- 
ically with me in the joys, sorrows, toils and 
sufferings consequent upon an itinerant's life; 
and to the dear children given to us by these 
sacred relations, w^ho now, as the infirmities 
of this uncertain life are coming upon us with 

V. 

sure and certain tread, manifest in the silvery 
locks, furrowed cheeks, bedim med vision — all 
indicating that our sun is rapidly descending 
the western slope, so tenderly care for us in 
bearing the burdens of life, and lovingly pro- 
vide for our comfort, is this work sacredly 
dedicated by 

The Author. 



PREFACE. 



Preface. 



My reasons for writing and publishing this 
book are : 

1— I believe that the Lord wanted me to. 
The burden has been on my heart for years to 
do this very thing. 

2 — I have a great desire to perpetuate the 
glory of God for the miraculous power dis- 
played in saving one, who had been so great a 
sinner as me, and for so many years in the toil 
and conflict of life, leading me beside the still 
waters, and into green pastures; delivering me 
out of the hand of my enemies, and all their 
expectation .again and again; bringing re-en- 
forcements when it seemed that all supplies 
were cut off. 

3 — On several occasions for miraculous deliv- 
erance from drowning, when others perished, 
and for the preservation of life on other occa- 
sions, when nearly kicked to death by vicious 
horses, and badly bruised by them, 

4 — Living on the old battle ground, where so 
many battles were fought between k% The Buf- 
falo Regency" on one side, and God's militant 



8 PREFACE. 

host on the other, and being so well acquainted 
with both sides, and the questions involved, 
which resulted in the formation of the Free 
Methodist Church, and in the order of Provi- 
dence I was making the Rev. John E. Robie a 
call when the Buff a Jo Regency met in council, 
and determined upon the expulsion of all that 
endorsed Methodism clean and clear; and then, 
on the other side, I was often present at Bro. 
Amos Hard's when councils of w^ar met, and 
determined to stand by the "old landmarks," 
however much it might cost them. 

Truly, there were giants in those days. A 
nobler class of saints never wore a martyr's 
crown than those of the old Genesee Confer- 
ence. Their memory is still precious. 

5 — To encourage precious souls that have 
taken the narrow way, that have left old asso- 
ciations that had in days gone by been as dear 
to them as life, but for conscience sake and the 
glory of God, had forsaken all and cast their 
lot in with the unpretentious, whose aim and 
object is to do all the good possible to the souls 
and bodies of men, and gain the skies at last. 
And to persuade those who really desire to be 
just what God designed we should be, and want 
all the light and help possible to do likewise, 
cast their lot in with the few, if the Holy Spirit 
leads you in that direction. It pays richly to 



PREFACE. 9 

follow the Pillar of fire, even though it may 
lead in peculiar ways. It is the safe way. 

Every article written in this book has been, 
we humbly trust, the promptings of the Spirit 
for the salvation of souls and the building up 
of the Redeemer's Kingdom. 

6 — It has been frequently stated that the 
days of miracles are past, and that we are not 
to expect any very great displays of God's sav- 
ing power in these days of light and culture; 
but these expressions are not in harmony with 
a thus saith the Lord and experience. My 
conversion was just as marvelous as St. Paul's, 
and what I have passed through, and have seen 
of God's power on others for more than thirty 
years, has been just as miraculous as the heal- 
ing of the lame man at the beautiful gate, or 
the man that was blind, whom Jesus touched, 
•"and lo, he saw men as trees walking." 

Tlicd double cure mentioned in this volume 
was just as great a marvel as the expelling of 
the legion of devils from the men of u Gadara." 



10 A TRANSLATION. 



A Translation. 

"Once I wandered in the maze of error, 

In the downward road; 
Oft my soul was filled with fear and terror 

When I thought of God. 
Jesus saw me rushing on to ruin, 

Offered pardoning grace ; 
And I left the way I was pursuing, 

Turned and saw his face. 

Chorus — Now I feel my sins forgiven, 
Through th' atoning blood, 
And I have a blessed hope of heaven.. 
Glory be to God. 

I am glad I ever found the Saviour, 

Now I'm fully blest ; 
There are pleasures in His pardoning favor, 

Joy, and peace, and rest. 
I'm standing on the holy mountain, 

Near Salvation's pool, 
And the waters from the bursting fountain 

Cheer my thirsty soul. 

I've left earth's vain and fleeting pleasures,. 
Bade them all adieu ; 



A TRANSLATION. ll 

And I'm seeking now for heavenly treasures, 

Lasting", pure and true. 
Glittering toys of time, farewell forever; 

To you I'll not bow : 
I will leave my blessed Jesus never; 

He's my portion now. 

I will tell Salvation's pleasing story, 

While I live below, 
And 111 try to spread my Saviour's glory, 

Every where I go. 
When the word is from the Master given, 

"Child, from toiling cease,'' 
I expect to find a home in heaven, 

Home of endless peace/' 

When young, I was "trained; up in the nur- 
ture and admonition of the Lord.*' Well do I 
recollect some of the first lessons taught me by 
my parents — such as "Our Father which art in 
heaven,"" and "Now I lay me down to deep," 
and others of a like character. These were in 
the morn of Jife, printed upon memory's tab- 
let. I always believed there was a divine real- 
ity in the religion of Jesus Christ. I do not 
recollect a long time when the Spirit of God 
did not strive with me, and often powerfully; 
so that frequently I felt that I was the chief of 
sinners. I would often resolve to seek the 
Lord, and when the time came I would pro- 
crastinate for a more convenient season. Thus 



12 A TRANSLATION. 

I grieved my heavenly Father for thirty-two 
long years. 

I wonder that God spared my unprofitable 
life so long. My father was a lover of the 
truth, as it is in Christ Jesus. He had great 
respect for the Sabbath — hence the children* 
were not allowed to play and frolic about on 
the Lord's Day. I praise God for these early, 
godly impressions. Well do I recollect, when 
a very small child, sitting in my little chair, 
and singing with my father these beautiful 
lines, "O, how happy are they who their Sa- 
viour obey," etc. 

At the age of eight I went with my father to 
a quarterly meeting, held in a barn. While 
the saints were upon their knees in prayer, I 
was upcn my knees calling upon the name of 
the Lord, i felt something going through me 
like lightning, producing a heavenly sweetness; 
lilso that I had suddenly been put in possession 
of wings, for I felt like flying. As I look back 
upon this scene, I have no doubt but that 
God's blessing was upon me on that occasion. 
I was frequently under such deep conviction 
of sin that I could not sleep nights. These 
seasons of deep conviction continued with me 
until I was converted to God. After these sea- 
sons of conviction I became more hardened in 
gin. On several occasions I was bruiight near 



A TRANSLATION. 13 

to death by disease, drowning, and in other 
ways. If being delivered from the jaws of 
death in a variety of ways is evidence of onr 
election, then I am elected, for I have been 
thus delivered. I praise God that onr election 
has a different foundation — even Jesus Christ 
— the Saviour of men. 

At the age of twenty, I agreed with some of 
my associates to go forward to the mourners' 
seat for prayers, as the preacher had said that 
the next night would close the meetings unless 
there should be a move among the sinners. W@ 
did not want the meetings to close, neither did 
we mean to get religion at that time. I loved 
to attend religious meetings, not because it was 
riglit, but to see and be seen, and to enjoy the 
society of kindred spirits. The night arrived 
in which we had agreed to make a move, to 
prevent the meetings from being broken up. 
Meetings had been run for several weeks, with- 
out any apparent success, until the night in 
which we had agreed to move. After preach- 
ing, the invitation was given to any wishing re- 
ligion. One of the company went forward, and 
then another. I thought of my word; I had 
agreed to go. It was an aw^ful moment with me. 
I thought that we w T ere trifling with the Al- 
mighty. I would have given worlds, if I 
could, to be out of the scrape. I shook from 



14 A TRANSLATION. 

head to foot, like Belshazzar of old. I was 
completely covered with sweat, so terribly was 
I exercised. The company had all gone; I was 
left. I started; had all I could do to get to the 
seat. God overruled this for His glory. Some 
twenty-five went forward that night. The 
meetings went on with power and profit. Many 
were converted to God. My condition was 
painful in the extreme. For several days after 
this I seemed to be on the boundary line be- 
tween the two worlds, and about to be ushered 
into the everlasting burnings. Whenever I 
closed my eyes to sleep I seemed to be sur- 
rounded by the damned in hell. O, what a 
view I had of the lost ! How I seemed to hear 
the wailings of despair, and realized that this 
was the doom of the wicked. After this I be- 
came more wicked than before. I was a com- 
plete adept in wickedness. I had been free 
from all parental restraint from the time I was 
about twelve years old. I mingled in all kinds 
of society; hence I had an excellent opportu- 
nity for learning much of the evil that exists 
at the present day. I learned too much. 

I wonder that God did not cut me off in my 
sins, after grieving his spirit so long. He is 
not willing that any should perish. I had 
felt for several years that I should not have 
the strivings of the Spirit but once more, and 



A TRANSLATION. 15 

then, if I did not yield, I should be left to my- 
self, abandoned of God. 

On the fifth of February, 1857, God met me 
in the road. These words came with great 
force to my mind: ' 'Choose you this day w T hom 
ye will serve. Come, decide the matter now. 
If you mean to serve the devil the remainder 
of your life, say so right here. Have this mat- 
ter settled forever. If you mean to give your- 
self to God, do it noio! This is the time." 

These were awful moments to me. ''Choose 
you this day whom ye will serve." I was 
pressed to a decision. My immortal spirit 
seemed to balance between heaven and hell. 
Heaven, with all that is lovely, joys immortal 
forever at God's right hand, seemed to be clear- 
ly presented on the one hand; and the damna- 
tion of hell on the other. Which voitt you 
have ? I resolved from that time, henceforth 
and forever, to seek after and serve God with 
all my redeemed powers. That evening I 
erected a family altar, and commenced calling 
upon the name of the Lord. The next morn- 
ing I thanked God for keejjing me and mine 
through the night ; and when seated around 
the table I thanked God for the food prepared 
for us. This was really a great cross. I had 
vowed to God, the residue of my life should be 
spent in His service. I continued to seek the 



16 A TRANSLATION. 

Lord by doing everything I thought a Christian 
ought to do. I made it a specialty to get re- 
ligion. I cried unto the Lord with all my heart, 
and the more I prayed the worse I felt. For 
three days and nights I was wrestling with God 
in prayer. I confessed my sins. I did all that I 
could. After continuing in this way for about 
three days, it occurred to me that there was no 
mercy for me. I had sinned aw r ay the day of 
grace. These were truly aw r f nl moments to me. 
No hope! No mercy ! No salvation ! Right 
here the spirit whispered to my aching heart. 
" Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou 
shalt be saved;" and blessed be God, right 
here I was enabled to believe that Jesus Christ 
was my Saviour. My weight of guilt was 
gone. Joy and peace filled my heart. Old 
things had passed away, and behold ! all 
things had become new. I sprang to my feet 
and praised God aloud ! At this point in my 
experience, my feelings are well described in 
those beautiful lines of Dr. Hunter : 

Sinking and panting, as for breath, 

I knew not help was near me, 
And cried, ' 'O, save me, Lord, from death ! 

Immortal Jesus, hear me !" 

Then, quick as thought, I felt Him mine, 

My Saviour stood before me! 
I saw his brightness round me shine, 



A TRANSLATION. 17 

And shouted, Glory ! Glory ! 

Oh, sacred hour! Oh, hallowed spot! 

Where love divine first found me ; 
Wherever falls my distant lot, 

My heart shall linger round thee ! 

And when from earth I rise to soar 

Up to my home in heaven, 
Down will I cast my eyes once more, 

Where first I was forgiven. 



II. 

I Wanted to Swear; 

OR, HOW I KNEW THE DOCTRINE OF ENTIRE HOLINESS, 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY TO BE TRUE. 

.My conversion to God was as clear as the 
sun at noon-day; "Old things passed away and 
all things became new 7 ." As I looked out the 
next morning upon the fields and woods, all 
seemed to be praising God. My soul was com- 
pletely ravished with his love. I had been 
"translated from the kingdom of darkness to 
the kingdom of God's dear Son." I was em- 
phatically a new creature in Christ Jesus; all 
the aspirations of my soul were changed. I 



18 I WANTED TO SWEAR. 

wanted to tell everybody what the blessed Je- 
sus had done for me; I felt like crying contin- 
ually, "Behold the Lamb!" God helped me 
to tell the story of the cross, which kept the 
fire burning within — Glory to God! u As I 
came to Zion, songs and everlasting joy was 
upon my head," and in my heart. For days 

"Not a cloud did arise to darken my skies, 
Or hide one moment, my Lord from my eyes." 
"And I could not believe 
That I ever should grieve, 
That I ever should suffer again." 

I thought that I never should have any more 
bad feelings; I expected to rejoice evermore. 
This state of things continued about three 
weeks; when at family prayer in the evening I 
was very much blessed. "Heaven came down 
my soul to greet, and glory crowned the mercy 
seat." I was praising God with a heart over- 
flowing with love, when suddenly my jaws 
closed; I wanted to continue praising God, but 
could not; my jaws were set together like a 
steel trap; they would not open. I thought 
it would be some relief if my wife or sister 
would pray. I tried to turn around to see why 
they did not, but could not; I was immovably 
fixed on my knees. I began to wonder what 
teas the matter. The devil told me it was a 
paralytic stroke. I said, u Yes, I guess it is;" 



I WANTED TO SWEAR. 19 

then darkness came upon me. I did not feel 
quite as well after that. The next accusation 
was I had got a lit of apoplexy, to which I 
said, u Yes, I guess I have; then darkness 
spread over me afresh. He said that I was a 
lit subject for apoplexy, and probably I was 
very near my end, as they generally died with 
the third fit. I consented to all he said as true, 
and before this passed off I was feeling bad, 
all through ignorance and unbelief. I do not 
know how long I remained in this helpless con- 
dition, but when I came out I felt that I had 
been shocked w T ith a heavy battery. While in 
this condition I was in full possession of every 
faculty of the mind, and remember distinctly 
all that occurred. I was a disbeliver in the 
power of the Holy Ghost to slay people, not- 
withstanding I had been accustomed to seeing 
such things from youth, but really believed it 
to be mesmerism or excitement. After I came 
out of this it occurred to me that perhaps what 
I had just experienced was the power of the 
Holy Ghost; and if so, I had done wrong. I 
w 7 ent immediately to have the matter settled. 
I told my father that I w T anted to be right, and 
if what I had just passed through was the 
effect of the Holy Ghost, let it come on me in 
the same way again. I felt it coming as be- 
fore; and he that said it was a fit of apoplexy, 



20 I WANTED TO SWEAR. 

now said, "Look out, it will kill you." I 
sprang to my feet and cried to the Lord to stay 
his hand. It seemed to me that I could not live 
under the pressure, under that weight of love 
that God was letting down into my soul and 
on my body. I went to bed, but not to sleep. 
The accuser was after me; he told me that my 
duty was very plain. "Ever since God con- 
verted you, you have been continually asking 
Him to bless you; it has come very near kill- 
ing you, and w r ill if you continue in this way; 
noio you must ask God not to bless you." I 
very soon learned that these suggestions were 
from the devil; and that to be the Lord's en- 
tire, to follow the Lamb whithersoever he 
would lead us, was to place ourselves in di- 
rect opposition to the mass of those that pro- 
fess the religion of Jesus Christ. I began to 
realize that the religion of Jesus Christ teas 
peculiar; unlike the world; and if I saved my 
soul, I must be peculiar. The question came 
with force : Are you willing to be peculiar 
for God f My spirit seemed to be willing, but 
the flesh rebelled. I thought much of my good 
name. Now I saw, that to be a real child of 
God, was to suffer and bear reproach. O, how 
I writhed in agony. What ! to have my good 
name cast out as evil, to be misunderstood, 
considered &sftlt7i, rejected of men. Here was 



I WANTED TO SWEAR. 21 

dying; this w 7 ^ painful, to bring all my pow- 
ers to submit to the will of God. I thought, 
when I was converted that I had given all to 
him; but here was something that I did not 
see at that time. I had commenced a pilgrim- 
age, and had no disposition to go back. I had 
left Sodom, and still the command was 
ringing in my ears, u .Escape for thy life, look 
not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the 
plain; escape to the mountain lest thou be con- 
sumed.^ As the light was shining upon me, 
and the way, and after much wrestling in 
prayer, not only my will respouded to the will 
of God, but I could say all through me — 

"Lord, obediently I'll go, 
Gladly leaving* all below." 

After this my peace flowed like a river. 

"Jesus all the day long 
Was my joy and my song. ? * 

I lived in a heavenly atmosphere, far above 
the common walks of life Glory to God and 
the Lamb forever ! for a silvation that hasZ^ 
and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, amen ! 
and amen ! The fire burns while I write — bless 
the Lord ! I believed that Jesus saved me 
from all my sins. I did not understand the 
nature of inbred sin. I had felt nothing but 
love to God and all mankind. The roots of 



22 I WANTED TO SWEAR. 

old depravity liad not yet been disturbed, 
lience I did not believe they existed. I was 
soon to be tested upon this point. 

Soon after my conversion I had placed in my 
hands several works on holiness: Wesley, Wal- 
lace, Foster, and Mrs. Palmer. On examining 
these books I felt that I had got in the first 
blessing all they claimed for the second. I 
was soon to learn that justification, though 
clear and positive, did not remove the roots of 
bitterness, the remains of the carnal mind. 

About four weeks after my conversion, one 
cold day in March, I wanted to move a stove 
of the Clinton air-tight pattern from one room 
to another with the fire in it, just as we were 
using it, as it was cold, and the only stove we 
had up. I laid my plans, and commenced the 
job in earnest. I succeeded in getting the pipe 
in position and the stove moved, but now came 
the tug of war. The pipe would not go to- 
gether as I expected. I had been feeling re- 
markably good, but suddenly my feelings un- 
derwent a tremendous change; I seemed to be 
all on fire ; and like Mount Vesuvius, just 
ready to belch forth tire and lava. You ask, 
dear reader, what was the matter? Why, my 
pipe would not go together; and besides, I 
pinched my fingers, the smoke filled my eyes, 
and yet the pipe would not unite. Again and 



I WANTED TO SWEAR. 23 

again I pinched ray fingers and smoked my 
eyes until it seemed to me that I should burst 
if I did not curse and swear with all my might. 
I set my jaws together like a steel trap, lest I 
should give vent to the smoke that raged with- 
in. I finished my job, and away I went, to 
where no eye but God could see me. I fell on 
my face and cried for mercy. This element in 
my heart gave me more pain than anything I 
had ever met with. O, how 1 loathed myself. 
I saw clearly the nature of my disease. Old 
depravity was at the bottom of all this difficul- 
ty. The tree had been cut down, but the roots 
were all there. 

Dear reader, these roots may not have affect- 
ed you just as they did me; but if you are not 
sanctified wJioIZy, the} r are there, in the heart 
and will, when the hot breath of Apolyon 
comes upon you, strive for the supremacy. 
This experience brought clearly to my mind, 
the doctrine of sanctificaiion as taught by 
John Wesley. I commenced in earnest the 
study of the Bible, to learu God's will in this 
matter. I fouud it full of holiness. I saw that 
it w T as not only my privilege to be made holy 
in this life, but a positive command: "Be ye 
lioly^for I am holy. ^ My convictions for this 
blessing was deep, clear, pungent and abiding. 
O, how my soul cried out after a clean heart. 



24 I WANTED TO SWEAR. 

I said that if the religion of Jesus Christ did 
not take out all sin from the heart, it was a 
failure. 

Blessed be God ! I have proved that Jesus 
Christ can save to the uttermost. In fifty- 
eight, at a camp-meeting in Bergen, 1ST. Y., I 
w^as enabled to give myself fully to God, and to 
claim Jesus Christ as my full and complete 
Saviour. O, how I felt the blood washing and 
cleansing my heart, from all the remains of the 
carnal mind. When the blessing came I was 
lost to all surrounding objects; but what com- 
munion I had with the Father and with the 
Son, and with the Boly Ghost. Light shone 
all through me. I could see every part of my 
moral being; and O ! how clean and pure; 
those roots were gone. My soul cried out — 

" 'Tis done, Thou dost this moment save, 

With full salvation bless, 
Eedemption in Thy blood I have, 

And spotless love and peace." 



ABOUT MY TOBACCO. 25 



III. 

About My Tobacco. 

For years prior to ray conversion to God, I 
had firmly believed that "strait is tlie gate and 
narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and 
few there be that find it." The consecration 
to be made in order to receive the grace of God 
and eternal life seemed to me to include every 
thing : all we think, speak or do. To meet 
this demand, my business relations had to be 
given up. I had used tobacco about twelve 
years; but in making my consecration to God 
I left this out. It had never occurred to me 
that it was wicked to use it; in fact, I had 
never heard or read that it was. I had associ- 
ated with the Methodists from my youth up, 
and knew that her preachers, class-leaders and 
stewards used it; and having an exalted opin- 
ion of them, had come to look upon the prac- 
tice as harmless. And yet it did seem to me 
that preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 
•ought to be clean and pure. God the Holy 
Ghost, let me see, the first time I used it after 
my conversion, that it was wrong for me to use 
it. As I put the filthy stuff in my mouth, the 



26 ABOUT MY TOBACCO. 

Holy Spirit said, "What do you do that for?" 
This came with such force that I was very 
much startled. I replied that I used it for the 
dyspepsia. The Spirit said, "You have no 
dyspepsia; and if you had, tobacco would not 
cure it; it rather creates it." 

I then tried to hunt up other reasons for 
using it, as the Spirit of God continued to press 
the question, "What do you use it for ?" But 
all my reasons were completely upset by the 
clear reasoning of conscience and the Holy 
Ghost. I now perceived that God was trying 
to teach me the way of life more perfectly. He 
said, "You have given yourself to me, to be 
mine entirely." I said, "Yea, Lord, all is 
thine." "Your body is a temple for the Holy 
Ghost; you are to be temperate in all things ; 
nothing must enter it that dedleth; tobacco 
defileth it. All you possess belongs to God — 
your money, your time, talents— all are his, 
and must be used for His glory; hence you can- 
not spend your money for tobacco." 

A great many ways were pointed out to me 
in w r hich I could glorify God in a proper use 
of what he had given to me, instead of an in- 
vestment worse than useless. Every time that 
I used it after my conversion, until I w-holly 
abandoned it, this same controversy was kept 
up. In reading the Bible I found it con- 



ABOUT MY TOBACCO. 27 

demned the practice. I became satisfied that I 
had got to abandon either the one or the other 
— my tobacco or Jesus Christ, I could not re- 
main justified and defile myself with it. 

Now came the giving np process. I resolved 
to do it gradually, lest I should be made sick, 
for the tempter told me that w 7 ould be the re- 
sult. I then threw away my box, and carried 
wiiat tobacco I had down cellar, determined 
not to use it bat three times a day, and thus by 
a gradual process work a cure. I soon wanted 
a chew. Down cellar I went and took the weed; 
it never seemed to taste quite so good be- 
fore ; so self suggested the idea of putting a 
little in my pocket ; I might want a little very 
much ; so I put a little in my pocket ; and thus 
I continued to do until my tobacco was all 
gone ; and instead of carrying it in a box, or 
in one pocket, I had it in nearly every pocket 
about me. Oh, how mean I felt when I was 
brought to a realization of my bondage to such 
a filthy habit. It had wound its slimy folds 
about me so long that I seemed to be complete- 
ly within its power. 

But here I resolved to try the strength and 
power of grace divine. I now determined to 
be a free man ; sink or swim, survive or perish, 
living or dying, I meant to have the victory 
ever this habit. I got down before God in the 



23 ABOUT MY TOBACCO. 

dust, told him all about my weakness, and 
about my miserable habit, and cried, u Lord, 
deliver me from this filthy, wicked, intemper- 
ate habit, for Jesus' sake. Amen." 

Blessed be God, help came. I got the vic- 
tory. Oh, glory to God and the Lamb forever 
and ever. Ever}^ band was severed; I w r as free, 
and blessed be God, I have walked at liberty 
ever since. I have never had the least desire 
to use the weed since I was delivered from 
my bondage to filth. Since then I can sing — 

"Now I am from bondage free, 

Every chain is riven ; 
Jesus makes me free indeed, 

Just as free as heaven.'' 



IV. 

The Plague of Narcotics, 

A part of this article is from the pen of Dr. 
Talmage. He said that America had some as 



ABOUT NARCOTICS. 29 

bad plagues as those of Egypt, and character- 
ized narcotics as follows : 

u In all ages the world has sought out some 
flower or herb or weed to stimulate, to allevi- 
ate, or to compose its griefs. A drink called 
nepenthe calmed the nerves of Greeks and 
Egyptians. Theben women knew how to com- 
pound it. Nepenthe passed away and next 
came hasheesh, manufactured from Indian 
hemp. Whole nations have been stimulated, 
narcotized, and made imbecile with the use of 
accursed hasheesh. Visions are conjured np 
gorgeous and magnificent beyond all descrip- 
tion, but it finally drags down body, mind and 
soul. I knew one of the most brilliant men of 
this city (Philadelphia) taken captive by this 
drug. Friends tried in vain to save him. First 
body gave way, then his mind. He became a 
raving maniac, blaspheming God into a star- 
less eternity. 

OPIUM is the scourge of nations." 

In 1861 we used 109,000 pounds. In 1887 
not far from 1,000,000 j)ounds. At the present 
— 1888 — we have, beyond doubt, more than 
1, 000, 000 opium consumers. That is appalling! 
Don't think that those are merely barbaric 
Asiatics. 

SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE, after 
conquering the world, was conquered by opium. 



SO ABOUT NARCOTICS. 

There are thousands, more women than men, 
who are being bound body, mind and soul by 
this terrific drug. There is a great mystery 
about some families. You don't know why 
they don't get along. The opium habit is 
stealthy, deceitful, deathful. Yuu can cure 
one hundred drunkards where you can cure 
one opium eater. 

Have you just begun to use it for the as- 
suagement of physical distress % I beg of you 
stop ! The pleasures at the start will not pay 
for the horrors at the end. 

MORPHIA is a blessing from God for the 
relief of pain, but it was never intended to be 
prolonged for years. 

Statistics show that there are opium eaters 
in this country exceeding a million. With 
some hydrate of chloral is taking the place of 
opium. 

BARON L1EBIG knows that one chemist 
in Germany makes half a ton of hydrate of 
chloral a week. There are multitudes taken 
down with this drug. Look out for Tiydrate of 
chloral/ You never heard a sermon against 
opium, but it seems to me there ought to be 
ten thousand pulpits turned into a quickening 
flame, thundering Zion's warning against this 
black narcotic. 

You all know what botanists describe as 



ABOUT NARCOTICS. 31 

NICOTIANA. You know it as the inspiring, 
elevating, emparadising, nerve-shattering, dys- 
pepsia-breeding, health-destroying tobacco. I 
shall not be offensively personal on this sub- 
ject, for you nearly all use it. You say that 
God made it, and it is good. Yes, it is good 
to kill moths, to kill ticks on sheep, to stran- 
gle all kinds of vermin, to fumigate pestifer- 
ous places. You say God created it for some 
particular use. Yes, so He did henbane, and 
nux vomica, and copperas, and belladona, and 
all those poisons. 

You say men live to be old who use it. Yes, 
in the sense that the man lasted well w x ho was 
pickled. Smokers are turned into smoked liv- 
ers. You should advise your children to ab- 
stain from it, because the whole medical frater- 
nity of the United States and Great Britain 
pronounced it the cause of wide-spread ill- 
health. Drs. Agnew, Hamilton, Woodward — 
the whole medical fraternity, Allopathic, Ho- 
meopathic, Hydro pathic and Eclectic denounce 
it. The use of tobacco tends to drunkenness. 
It creates unnatural thirst. The way that leads 
down to a drunkard's grave and a drunkard's 
hell is strewn thick with tobacco leaves. That 
man is not thoroughly converted io7w has not 
only got Ms heart clean, but got his mouth 
clean also. 



32 ABOUT NARCOTICS. 

BEN. FRANKLIN said he never saw a well 
man in the exercise of common sense who 
would say that tobacco did him any good. 

THOMAS JEFFERSON argued against the 
culture of tobacco 

HORACE GREELEY said: "It is a burn- 
ing stench." 

DANIEL WEBSTER said: "Let those men 
who smoke go to the horse shed." 

One reason why there are so many victims 
to the tobacco habit is because so many minis- 
ters smoke and chew. They smoke until they 
have bronchitis, and then the dear people must 
send them to Europe. I can name three emi- 
nent clergymen who died of cancer in the 
mouth, an evil caused by their tobacco. There 
has been many a clergyman whose tombstone 
was covered up with eulogy, who ought to 
have had an inscription, "Killed by too much 
Cavendish." Some smoke until the room is 
blue, their spirits are blue, the world is blue. 
The American clergymen who are indulging in 
the habit should repent. How can a man 
preach repentance when he indulges in such a 
habit. I have known Presbyteries and Gen- 
eral Assemblies and General Synods where 
there was a room set apart for ministers to 
smoke in. 

It is time we had an anti-tobacco reform in 



CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 33 

the Presbyterian, the Baptist, and the Con- 
gregational churches." 

Thank God there is one church, the FREE 
METHODIST, that has a pure ministry. They 
are not defiled by "narcotics" None are 
received into the Free Methodist Church that 
use tobacco in any way, in the ministry or 
laitv. 



y. 

A Call to the Ministry. 

The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ is a system of instruction. It contem- 
plates the instruction of the ignorant until the 
whole world shall be enlightened; until the 
knowledge of Christ shall cover the whole earth 
as the waters cover the sea. It makes provis- 
ion for having this instruction perpetuated. 
God provides for every department of this stu- 
pendous work of bringing this wicked world 



34 CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

back from her revolt to Christ and God. To 
this end the ministry were appointed. Under 
the old dispensation God appointed men to 
preach and teach. They were termed proph- 
ets. They spake as they were moved upon by 
the Holy Ghost. Enoch was a preacher. He 
taught the doctrine of a general judgment, the 
resurrection of the dead, and a just retribution 
for our conduct in this life. 

He taught the duty of repentance of all 
wrong deeds. He enforced his preaching by a 
godly life. "He walked with God !" "God 
spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the 
eighth person, a preacher of righteousness." In 
these far off ages they were blessed with teach- 
ers. Abraham was a preacher of righteousness 
in his day. Other patriarchs said of him : 
"Touch not mine annointed, and do my proph- 
ets no harm." Samuel, Elijah and Elisha 
were of that number that taught the people. 

The Christian dispensation had in its very 
beginning teachers appointed directly by di- 
vine authority. Take one text among many: 
Eph. 4-11-13. "And he gave some apostles, and 
some prophets, and some evangelists, and some 
teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for 
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of 
the body of Christ." 

Again: "Go ye into all the world and preach 



CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 35 

the Gospel to every creature; and lo, I am 
with you always, even unto the end of the 
world." 

God has ordained that by a holy ministry 
the Gospel shall be preached, and the world 
brought back to Christ. Thus far the call to 
the ministry has been stated by way of preface. 
God makes choice of His own laborers for this, 
the grandest of all yjositions in this life, preach- 
ing the Gospel. We cannot take this respon- 
sibility upon ourselves, if we do we are simply 
hirelings, as is the case, we fear, with too many 
that occupy the sacred desk. 

Many, I have no doubt, have been called to 
the pulpit by their parents. They have looked 
upon the ministry as an exalted and an honor- 
able position, and have entertained an all-ab- 
sorbing desire that their boy should preach the 
Gospel. They may have been pious and devout 
people, but have made a very common mistake 
of supposing their desire to be the voice of the 
Spirit calling their boy to the ministry. In 
order to meet the obligations of the ministry, 
what God requires, and what the people de- 
mand, the call to this high and holy position 
must come from God. In these days of com- 
promise and corruption there are too many 
pulpits, instead of being a light-house erected 
upon a dangerous coast, to warn the mariner 



36 CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

of their imminent danger, giving an uncertain 
sound. 

God's ministers have all been called into the 
ministry. They have not taken it upon them- 
selves. It has come to them like an awful 
night-mare in the still hours of the night; when 
about their daily cares; sleeping or waking; 
journeying by land or sea; among friends or 
foes; whether suffering from poverty or abound- 
ing in wealth; woe is me if I preach not the 
Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. This will look like a stupendous 
job, almost like an insurmountable task 
to the person truly called of God to preach 
the unsearchable riches of Christ. At the 
same time they will feel, O, how poorly 
qualifiel I am for such an undertaking. 
And the more they look at themselves 
the greater the burden seems to grow. To be 
an embassador of the Lord Jesus Christ, chosen 
of Him, commissioned to treat with a rebel 
government, those in open rebellion to His 
divine majesty, is higher honor than was ever 
bestowed upon any other mortal. The crowned 
heads of this world might w r ell envy the very 
smallest man or woman that wears the royal 
diadem that Christ puts on the brow of His 
servants. To me, there was always a sacred- 
ness connected with the ministry of Christ. 



CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 37 

From my earliest recollection I have looked 
upon the minister of God as occupying the 
very highest position and receiving the highest 
honor awarded to any of earth's subjects ; and 
how men thus called, can come down from so 
high and holy a calling to mingling in the rot- 
tenness of the day, is a profound mystery to 
me, and how men can consent to be put in a 
semi-nude state, cable-towed, hoodwinked, and 
then take upon themselves obligations too hor- 
rible for humanity, and by those professedly 
called to be a minister of Christ, to me is cer- 
tainly incomprehensible. 

The Master says, u Ye cannot serve God and 
mammon." When God calls a man to preach, 
it embraces all there is of the individual, with 
all possible development: mental, moral and 
physical; so that the man of God will improve 
every chance of doing good and of getting good, 
including hard study for the development of 
the mind ; practicing the laws of health for the 
development of our being for greater efficiency 
in the Master's service. 

The word of the Lord is: "Study to show 
thyself approved unto God." Success comes 
on this line of action. I believe that the min- 
ister should study and write as though the 
whole thing depended on this for success ; and 
then he should pray as though everything de- 



38 CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

pended on prayer ; and when he gets into the 
pulpit he should trust alone in God the Holy 
Ghost as though entire success depended on 
help from above. On this line the stream of 
salvation will flow into the pulpit and into the 
pew, and the results will be the salvation of 
precious souls and the sanctifying of believers. 
Glory to God. Amen. 

We are to gloriiy Him with our physical 
pow T ers, as these belong to Him. Hence, we 
will carefully study ourselves, the Jaws that 
govern our own being, eat and drink, labor and 
rest so as to produce the greatest development 
for His glory. 

The mission of the minister of Christ is of 
the utmost importance, because it has to do 
with those that must live forever with God and 
angels and the redeemed of earth in the world 
that is to come, or with those that reject Christ 
and everything that is good, and together are 
cast out into outer darkness, wdiere the flames* 
of their torment will ascend up for ever and 
ever. And then to think that a single word, or 
look, may change the destiny of a soul ! Well 
might the apostle exclaim, "And who is suffi- 
cient for these things ?" The Gospel must be 
proclaimed with great tenderness of spirit, and 
in deep love for the souls of those that are in 
their sins ; love that is all aflame for the per- 



CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 39 

ishing. A minister should keep as near the head 
of the church as possible. He should pattern 
after the Master in simplicity, in naturalness, 
in literalness, in appropriateness and in holi- 
ness. As He is in the world, so are ice, so 
clean and pure ; morally speaking, the minis- 
ter should he transparent — Christ shining out 
in all his ways — looking, speaking, doing the 
right thing at the right time and in the right 
manner. Speaking as one that must give an 
account in that day for words uttered. Look- 
ing like one that has been with Christ and 
learned of Him. How often a word from the 
man of God has been like the pouring of oil on 
the troubled sea. A man called to minister in 
holy things must remember that he is a peace- 
maker. In almost every place there is a mar- 
velous chance to stir up strife. This must be 
avoided. "Study to show thyself approved," 
says the apostle. Appropriateness is an essen- 
tial element in the minister of God. A con- 
gregation of idiots could not appreciate a dis- 
course on moral philosophy. Neither would a 
mass of unsaved men and women enjoy a ser- 
mon on entire holiness ! 

Much labor has been lost, and the work 
greatly retarded, because of unwise action. 
Words, style, or the manner in which it has 
been presented, has been so presented, that 



40 CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

opposition has been aroused, and the work of 
soul-saving has been greatly hindered, if not 
entirely destroyed. 

A great many have been driven from the 
penitents' altar because of unkind treatment 
at the altar. They were sinners, to be sure, 
arid came to the altar as such ; and in their 
great distress of mind, before God had a chance 
to do much for them, some unwise person 
would, in commanding tones, ask them to pull 
off their feathers, gold, or something attached 
to their person. This would have been proper 
at the right time, but the hammer came down 
before the iron was hot. The results were in 
these cases they flew off in a tangent, mad. 
The blacksmith knows about how hot his iron 
must be to work and weld ; precisely so with 
human hearts ; they must be under the direct 
rays of the Holy Ghost and kept there until 
made tender, then it can be worked. Glory to 
God ! Brother, don't try to work cold iron — 
the iron of cold hearts. It will be in every case 
a failure. Keep baptized with the Holy Ghost 
and fire. This has been your great need in the 
jmst. As you go forth to labor in God's vine- 
yard, go with the baptism of power, love and 
the Holy Ghost. On this line, success will 
come. 

Doubtless some are called to the ministry 



CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 41 

early in life. Samuel was called to the pro- 
phetic office when but a lad. It has been stated 
by a great many that labored long as embassa- 
dors of our Lord Jesus Christ, that very early 
in life they felt an ^indefinable impression rest- 
ing upon them, and at times this impression 
would be very strong, that some time in the 
near future, they would have to preach the 
gospel. 

This was the condition of your humble ser- 
vant. Early in life he felt that that would be 
his employment in after years. Of all the in- 
nocent amusements of childhood, what he called 
preaching to other children, to the chairs 
placed in the order of a congregation, or to a 
held of pumpkins, (for he would often do that) 
was to him greater diversion than any other 
kind of amusement. 

At the age of fifteen I was standing near 
State street bridge, Albany, N.Y., a couple of 
officers were conveying a crazy man from the 
cars to the steamboat, as they w^ere going down 
the river to Hudson with him. The crazy man 
caught hold of one of the chains used to draw 
up a portion of the bridge to let vessels 
through, screaming and making a grent ado. 
This drew the attention of the people, as many 
were crossing, it being car time, so that in a 
moment the draw part of the bridge was liter- 



42 CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

ally covered. It was estimated that some three 
hundred, besides three horses, were on this 
part of the bridge. I moved along on to the 
bridge to see what the matter was. No sooner 
had I reached the highest point on the bridge, 
than it broke off on both sides, letting this 
mass of humanity suddenly into the w r ater. 
I w r as suddenly hurled into the river with 
the rest. I had to swim some six to ten 
rods before I found anything that I could 
cling to. I came to a small boat into which 
I climbed, then onto a canal boat and w 7 ent 
back where I could see that crowd of peo- 
ple struggling and screaming for life. This 
was an awful sight. Groups of men, from one 
to six or more were making a desperate effort 
for life. Without a moment's warning they 
were put in this aw 7 ful condition, and now r , 
eternity was staring them in the face. Pres- 
ently the dead and dying were all around me. 
The thought came : " Why teas not I drowned 
with the rest f" for some forty had passed sud- 
denly into eternity. This answer came to 
the inquiry, "I have saved you to preach my 
gospel." 

After years of wandering in sin, and man's 
estate had been reached, with family cares and 
responsibilities, I erected a family altar, sought 
and found the pearl of great price ; and with 



CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 43 

this ftew experience came a strong and an abid- 
ing conviction that I must preach the Gospel. 
In whatever direction I would try to turn my 
attention, this thought would loom up above 
all others, "Preach my Gospel." I had but 
little conception of the awful responsibility 
connected with the ministry And yet I had 
some idea of the vastness of the work, and in 
looking at myself it did seem to me that I 
never could attain unto the ideality of the 
work as I then viewed it. I was timid, ignor- 
ant, culture limited. Can God qualify me for 
this exalted position i These were serious con- 
siderations. The call was as clear to me as the 
sun at noonday. Notwithstanding the clear- 
ness of the call by the spirit, I was often 
making bargains with the Lord, as Gideon did; 
He would ask for a wet fleece, and the fleece 
w r ould be wet. And then for a dry fleece, and 
the fleece would be dry. 

In th£ beginning of my ministry I would say 
to the Lord something like this : O Lord, if- 
Thou hast called me to preach Thy Word, give 
me a soul to-day, as evidence that I am called 
to preach. Asking for evidence of this char- 
acter continued for several years ; and I would 
say to the glory of God, that on these occa- 
sions souls were always saved. Though the 
enemy would often say: "That is no evidence^ 



44 CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

for these have been prayed lor by these old 
saints for years. They were saved through the 
instrumentality of these gray-haired saints." 
For the time it would trouble me quite a little, 
30 T would continue to ask for evidences. 

Every one truly called of God to preach His 
Gospel, understand some of the many obsta- 
cles to be overcome before he reaches the holy 
of holies, where, under a clear sky, with his 
eye on the Judgment, and the condition of the 
lost before him, he can proclaim the everlast- 
ing Gospel to perishing humanity, with the 
Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. One of 
the greatest barriers to my entering upon the 
ministry, was my dear companion. While she 
was a dear, good woman, she could not bear 
the idea of her husband becoming a preacher; 
^nd would on all occasions when she thought 
the subject was going to be introduced, talk 
discouragement, and say to her husband, U I 
think that yo,u would make a good class-leader 
but not a preacher." I was marvelously at- 
tached to my wife, because of her intrinsic 
jnerits ; hence, her views of his duty to his 
family, to God and His church were very great 
obstacles to surmount. 

The time came when, according to my vows, 
I must le^ve all and follow Christ, or lose my 
religion. What could be done ! A field was 



CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 45 

opened, my services were wanted. Wife refuses 
to go ; with light around the cross but a heavy 
burden on my soul, I took my leave of the dear 
home ; yea, the dearest spot on earth, for there! 
had nothing but love dw^elt in that family cir- 
cle. Parents and children were passionately 
devoted to each other. 

I found myself very much at home in the 
work of the ministry. After an absence of six 
weeks I returned home, hoping that my wife 
had changed her mind, and would accompany 
me to my field of labor. In this I was disap- 
pointed. She was just as unwilling to go then 
as at the first. I returned to my circuit with a 
heavy heart. I felt that I was in God's order, 
so I asked the Lord to let my dear companion 
see it as in the light of eternity. After the 
elapse of another six weeks I returned for the 
same purpose, and with, the same results as 
above stated. 

I succeeded in getting her at this second visit 
home, to go with Brother and Sister Roberts 
to a camp-meeting which was coming off at 
Ackron, N. Y., and I returned to my circuit. 
Eternity alone can tell the soul burden and 
mental conflict during these days. 

The camp-meeting had not been running 
many days before a fearful cyclone made its 
appearance. The sky put on her fearful robes 



46 CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

of thunder and lightning, with other sounds 
of a dismal character. JJarkness spread over 
the encampment. Nature was in strange com- 
motion. Alarm and terror was manifested by 
nearly all that were at that encampment. As 
the storm came nearer and nearer, with the 
awful roar of destruction, suddenly an appear- 
ance, like an elephant's trunk, dropped down 
from the clouds above and swung around the 
circle of tents, throwing down seventy-five 
good-sized trees. Wife and a Baptist sister 
were washing dishes in the Buffalo tent. They 
were giving each other their experience. Said 
the Baptist sister : "If I should die this mo- 
ment, I'm saved." No sooner had she said 
that than a tree nearly two feet in diameter 
was blown down from the inside of the circle 
of tents, going directly over the Buffalo, tent, 
crushing it down, and with it the Baptist sis- 
ter. All that saved the dear wife from the 
same fate was our little two-year old girl, hear- 
ing the noise of the storm, went to the tent 
door to see what the matter was, the mother 
going in great haste after her, escaped having 
the tree fall upon her. It was a narrow escape. 
There was only a step at that time between her 
soul and death. The Baptist sister was killed 
intantly. She had no sooner declared that she 
was ready to die, than she was ushered into 



CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 47 

eternity ! How important it is to always 
be ready. 

This awful scene caused many to turn pale 
witti alarm for their future condition. Eter- 
nity seemed so near. Every one on the ground 
felt the importance of being saved, having a 
olean heart. They did not need much urging 
to commence the work in right good earnest. 
Among the many that were made wise by this 
awful storm and were at the altar seeking, in 
the very dephts of humility, the blessing of 
perfect love, was my dear w r ife. She, w T ith 
others, did not seek in vain. She found the 
blessing. She went down on the line of con- 
fession, and was mightily resurrected to a state 
of heart purity, by a living faith in the Al- 
mighty power of Christ to save. It was stated 
to me by those that were present, that the 
whole camp-ground shook when she struck the 
Rock ! Glory to God ! 

At this time I was at a camp-meeting in an- 
other part of the state helping Bro. William 
Cooley. Hearing of the great blessing that my 
wife had received, I concluded that it would 
not be necessary for me to take another long 
trip, to go home to see if I could not persuade 
her to come with me, but that she would im- 
mediately pack up and move on to the big cir- 
cuit with me, which, thank Grod, she did. But 



48 CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

O, how changed ! I had emphatically a new 
wife. I had always thought her the best wo- 
man on earth ; now I knew that she was. We 
then saw eye to eye in the great work to which 
God had called ns. And O, how precious the 
communion, we had with each ether and the 
Lord, during her brief stay on earth after this 
occurrence. In less than two years she peace- 
fully passed away to be forever with the Lord. 
I relate this circumstance to show what 
things we have to overcome sometimes, in or- 
der to enter the ministry. And then, how 
strangely God manages to bring us where our 
eyes may be opened to see just what he wants 
us to see. It is well expressed by the poet: 

; 'God moves in a mysterious way, 

His wonders to perform, 
He plants his footsteps in the sea, 

And rides upon the storm." 

More than a quarter of a century has passed 
into eternity since most of the events narrated 
occurred; and in looking ever the past, and the 
way in which God led us into the ministry, the 
trials, conflicts, victories, and the many times 
in which He has marvelous] y delivered us out 
of the hands of all our enemies, and brought to 
our aid reinforcements, and just the help need- 
ed, and just at the right time, our heart goes 
out in wonder, love and praise. 



CALL TO TJ1E MINISTRY. 49 

The promise of the Lord to me was: ''For 
as much as ye know that your labor is not in 
vain in the Lord." O, how comforting that 
Scripture has been to me. When on hard 
fields of labor, and when it seemed as though 
very little if anything, accomplished, the above 
word of the Lord would come to my heart with 
such an assurance, and in such sweetness that 
I have been made to rejoice in the goodness of 
the Lord to me. 

We are often placed in a position, allowing 
the world to judge, would call it a tremendous 
defeat. But in obeying the voice of God there 
is no defeat. We may not always see just 
what we have done, the good accomplished. 
Perhaps it is best we should not. Spiritual 
pride might find way into our heart and de- 
stroy us. 

The command is, u Go forward." We are 
not to stop to analyze results, in order to get at 
exact accomplishments, but move on, laboring 
with all our might, and leaving results with 
God. In that day, and under the light of judg- 
ment fires, it will appear in all the grandeur of 
eternal blessedness. u Your labor is not in 
vain in the Lord." What precious opportuni- 
ties God has given us of laying up our treas- 
ures on high. Look out in what direction you 
may, the fields are white already to harvest. 



50 CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

•Golden opportunities for doing good, and get- 
ting good, are constantly placed within our 
reach, and to be like our divine Lord and Mas- 
ter, who went about doing good, so must we, 
looking mainly for our reward in that day 
when He shall come to make up His jewels. O 
how blessed to hear in that day, u Well done?" 
Notwithstanding the glittering crown that 
often seems so nigh to the Christian soldier, he 
feels as expressed in the following lines : 

' 'Let me stay ; I fain would labor 

In the vineyard of the Lord ; 
_For the fields are ready whitening, 

Jesus says so in His word. 
! Let me thrust the Spirit's cycle, 

In the fields already white; 
Let me blow the G-ospel trumpet ; 
Let me do with all my might. 

Let me stay and wear the armor 

That my Father doth supply ; 
Let me cheer the broken hearted, 

Help the pilgrim on his way. 
Let me point the poor and needy 

To a boundless store of grace, 
To a mansion in the heavens, 

Where the weary are at rest. 

Let me stay and warn poor sinners 

Of the danger they are in, 
While by Christ they're unprotected, 

Foes without and fears within ; 
Let'me tell how Jesus loved them 



CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 51 

When he died upon the tree, 
When he cried in grief and anguish, 
''Why hast Thou forsaken me V 

Let me stay a little longer, 

Gathering for the garner great, 
Golden sheaves, oh, precious jewels, 

Stars in Jesus 1 crown complete. 
Let me finish all my labor, 

Then my armor 111 lay down, 
And with Jesus Christ, my Saviour, 

Ever wear a starry crown. 

Then I'll range the fields of heaven, 

And with angels ever sing : 
Hallelujah! glory! glory? 

Hallelujah to my King ! 
Then with white-robed seraphs worship 

Eound the Father's great white throne ; 
Always crying, Thou art worthy ! 

Oh my God, and Thou alone." 

I apprehend that the richest spot in heaven 
will be given to those that have lived the near- 
est to Christ while on earth ; that have been 
instrumental in turning many from darkness 
to light ; that have been one with Him in the 
great work of human redemption ; that have 
borne the cross, labored incessantly to bring 
souls to Christ and build up His kingdom on 
earth. It may have been in poverty, amidst 
great suffering, of physical ailments, in perse- 
cution ; but the joy to such on earth exceeds 



52 PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 

that of all others ; and in the world to come, 
"They shall shine as the brightness of the firm- 
ament forever and ever." 



VI. 

A Particular Providence. 

How cheering to the heart of a good man to 
believe that God, the Infinite, loves, and ten- 
derly cares for all the creatures which He hath 
made, and that He daily provides for, and 
feeds, and clothes the teeming millions of earth. 
How vast the conception that the Almighty this 
morning provided food for and fed, one billion, 
and five hundred million of human beings; and 
beside the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the 
air, and the cattle upon a thousand hills; and 
that this care commenced when the morning 
stars sang together for joy, and will continue 
through time, and to all eternity. He that cre- 
ated us is able to provide for all our needs, and 
to perpetuate our existence. It would be folly 
indeed, to suppose our Heavenly Father capa- 
ble of creating us, but not able to sustain us. 



PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 53 

He that paints the liiies with rainbow tints, 
and covers the earth with its carpet of green, 
can supply all our need in this world, and in 
the w T orld to come. Wherever in nature a real 
■want is manifest, near by may always be found 
the supply. "My God shall supply all your 
need." To doubt His ability or willingness to 
do this, would be sinful. The smallest speck 
in creation is not lost to sight, nor removed 
from His tenderest care. "Even the very hairs 
of your head are all numbered." "And if He 
so clothe and beautifies the grass of the field 
which to-day is, and to-morrow is cut down 
and cast into the oven, shall He not much 
rather clothe you, oh, ye of little faith." 

He sends rain and sunshine, stormy wind 
and hoar frost, heat and cold, the changing sea- 
sons, causing earth to bring forth her increase 
for the sustenance of man and beast. Away 
back in by-gone ages, doubtless, the creator of 
this vast universe provided, or made ample 
provision for this earth and all its dependen- 
cies. I seriously doubt if a mistake was made 
or any need that might arise in any member of 
the human family, but that was thoroughly 
considered and all needful supplies provided 
for. "Behold the fowls of the air, for they 
sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into 
barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. 



54 PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 

Are ye not much better than they?" Why 
then so much suffering, famine, pesti- 
lence, war, murder, and the great amount of 
evil arising from intemperance ? These are all 
the results of sin, not the penalty for sin, but 
the legitimate fruit of sin; and God has provid- 
ed a complete remedy for all the ills which 
flesh is suffering because of sin. Wherefore, 
He is able to save us to the uttermost, and to 
present us faultless before His presence, with 
exceeding joy. Suffering and need may be 
employed at times as a corrective agency, and 
in all these things we should learn wisdom and 
abandon all wrong doing and learn to do well. 
We read of some that were always learning, 
and never coming to the knowledge. Perhaps 
nearly all Christian men and women would en- 
dorse in a general way, God's providental care 
over His children, but doubt His special prov- 
idences. Nevertheless, He does hear and an- 
swer prayer for special blessings. 

When Peter was in prison prayer was offered 
for him, which God heard and answered, send- 
ing an angel to unlock prison doors, calling 
Peter's attention to the fact that deliverance 
had come; and in obeying the command, his 
chains fell off, and those massive doors, seem- 
ingly of their own accord, swung back, and he 
following his guide, was a free man, walking at 



PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 55 

liberty. When Israel had been scourged for 
three years and six months by a severe drouth, 
Elijah petitioned the Lord for help, special help! 
Rain, was the all-absorbing need at that time, 
and blessed be the Lord Almighty that hears 
and answers prayer, rain came in great abund- 
ance. Every answer to prayer, whether it be 
ior soul or body, is a special gift or blessing 
from our God. But in every case, there must 
be on our part, a special need, and faith must 
be normal, believing, trusting, without any- 
reserve whatever. If you have the reserve of 
a big farm, or bank stock, or cash in abund- 
ance at your command, it will greatly hinder 
your faith ? hence, those in the ministry 
blessed with such means, never reach such 
depths of richness of experience, as those that 
are compelled by force of circumstances to 
trust alone in God. Ministers that have means 
to fall back on if things do not move to suit 
them, generally in a pinch, fall back on meanst 
God has nowhere in His w T ord promised to sup- 
ply all we want, but all we need. If a man is 
not sick, he does not feel much on the subject 
of being healed. If he is well clothed and 
housed he does not feel the need of clothes and 
shelter. If he is well supplied with food, or 
can at will, put his hand on the greenbacks., 
he does not have a very big feeling of need. 



66 PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 

This class of characters never become spirit- 
ually educated up to the supreme summit of 
implicit trust in Jehovah. In order to prove 
the great Fatherhood of God, there must be 
on our part a consecration that is not only in 
word but in deed, and in truth, embracing all 
we have, all we are, all we ever expect to be, 
and a divine consciousness of the complete 
transfer made of all to Christ, and His Spirit 
with our spirit bearing witness to this holy 
transaction; then the heart will sing : 

' 'Forever here my rest shall be, 
Close to Thy bleeding- side ; 
This all my hope, and all my plea, 
For me the Saviour died." 

For nearly thirty years the author of this, 
has been like the birds of the air, trustiikg en- 
tirely in the Lord, for soul and body; and 
often blessings have come that were needed, 
when it seemed as though a miracle must be 
wrought in order to supply the demand. 

When I came into the Susquehanna Confer- 
ence, there were just four circuits : Rose and 
Clyde, Nelson and Fenner, Bingham ton and 
Union and NewYorkcity. It was emphatically 
a missionary field. I left what seemed to be a 
good paying business, to preach the Gospel in 
this new conference. Although our work was 



PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 57 

largely among the poor, yet God marvelously 
cared for us, in providing for our souls and 
bodies. Blessings came at times when greatly 
needed, as direct from God as the manna that 
fell in the wilderness to satisfy God's ancient 
people. 

The last year that my now sainted compan- 
ion was on earth, we were far away from mar- 
kets. Her desire for food was very fluctuat- 
ing. Occasionally she would want some kind 
of food that seemed impossible to obtain ; but 
whenever she expressed a desire for any kind 
of food, it came. One morning I asked her 
what she could eat if we had it. She replied, 
"I could eat a brook trout, if I had it." My 
son, Lester, then about fourteen years old, was 
attending school in the place where we then 
lived. At recess he went back a little way 
from the school house, where was running a 
little brook, the outlet of springs: He saw 
therein a remarkably fine trout. By some 
means it was out of the main channel and 
could not make its escape. My son saw the 
situation, and remembering what his siclc 
mother had said in the morning, marked the 
spot, and as soon as school closed he took the 
fish up to his mother. As soon as she saw it 
she recognized the hand of the Lord, and with 
a heart full of love and. gratitude, and eyes 



58 PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 

sparkling with tears, we unitedly joined in 
thanking God for the supply so much needed. 
On another occasion during her sickness, when 
asked what she would like to eat if we had it, 
she replied : "I could eat some lamb, if I had 
it." It was in the month of March, and it did 
not seem as though such a thing could be had 
short of New York City. A farmer living 
some three miles away, had five lambs that 
were born in December or January. They 
were very nice and highly prized by their 
owner. The day my companion expressed a 
wish for lamb, the owner was moving them 
from one stall in his barn -to another; one acci- 
dentally broke its leg; so the farmer was com- 
pelled to kill and dress it. While at this work 
and feeling very bad, he said a voice, as plain 
as human voice, and a good deal more impres- 
sive, said : u Take part of this lamb to Sister 
Osborne," which he did. Praise God ! 

The next circuit that we occupied was Seneca 
Falls, xluburn, Owasco, Niles and Canandai- 
gua. I felt that God wanted me to^ live at Sen- 
eca Falls. My chairman thought that I had 
better settle at some other point, as the Seneca 
Falls pilgrims were very poor and discouraged. 
We went to Seneca Falls on Thursday, met the 
pilgrims at Sister MeKee's. I think there were 
less than a dozen poor, discouraged ones. 



PARTICUL A R PROVIDENCE. 59 

They received us with not a little indifference, 
and were sure that a house could not be found 
anywhere in the place. They said that others 
had been there looking for houses, but could 
find none. However, they w T ere going to leave 
it all with the Lord. In this they were like a 
great many that I have met with, awful willing 
to let the good Lord do it all. They really be- 
lieve that Jesus paid it all, consequently, let 
Him do it all. 

This did not disturb my convictions that God 
wanted me to live there, and that He had a 
house for me at that place. I prayed much 
that night, and as Friday morning dawned up- 
on us I felt all through my being that in such 
a part of the town there was an empty liouse, 
and that I could hire it. I knew but little of 
the place, but alter prayers I started off in the 
direction of the empty house, according to my 
conviction. I came to that part of the town 
indicated by my feelings. I met a lad and 
said to him, " Where is that house where the 
family moved out a few days ago V Said he, 
"Right around the corner." I moved on a few 
rods when I met another boy and made the 
same inquiry of him. He replied, u That 
house across there." It w r as really a neat 
house owned by a merchant's w T ife, they occu- 
pying the wing part All the upright part, 



60 PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 

consisting of seven neat rooms, she wanted to 
rent until spring. Inside of ten minutes I 
made a bargain for the house, paid one month's 
yent, and the next week we moved in and re- 
mained there for tw^o years. We had the 
house for six dollars per month, wdien a great 
many others wanted it and would have paid 
ten or twelve dollars per month. 

I want to say a little more about this affair, 
as it w T as so clear a case of the Lord's doings ; 
as clear as when Peter was led out of prison 
by the angel of God. I thought so then. I 
think so now, after the lapse of nearly twen- 
ty-five years, and look back to that event with 
the profoundest feelings of love and veneration 
for the special leadings of the Spirit of the 
Lord Jesus at that time, and all the way since. 
A gracious revival commenced from the very 
beginning of our ministry at that place. As 
we commenced house-keeping right away, T 
appointed a meeting for holiness at our house. 
In my notice of the meeting I excluded all that 
did not want something special of the Lord. 
The meeting was good and lasted until after 
ten o'clock. We had quite a struggle for a 
lady that came there expressly for her soul's 
salvation. She finally came through with a 
tremendous shout, and this she continued for 
some time. I had a sort of feeling that these 



PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 61 

sliouts greatly disturbed my landlady in the 
other part of the house. Immediately after 
breakfast the next morning she sent for me to 
come in, she wanted to see me. As soon as I 
entered she looked me square in the face and 
stated in very emphatic language that I must 
procure another house immediately. Said she, 
U I did not let you have my house for public 
meetings. I cannot and will not have such 
confusion in my house. It was perfectly ridic- 
ulous — such a noise — such a pow-wow — hus- 
band and I did not sleep a wink all night, you 
must move right out." I looked her steadily 
in the face and said nothing until she had 
spent her force, and then made my statement. 
I knew my rights and purposed to stick to 
them. I said, "True, Mrs. Ingmire, you did 
not rent me your house for public meetings; it 
was not of that class— it was a select meeting, 
I stated from the pulpit that none need come 
except those that wanted something from the 
Lord. It was a meeting for holiness. You 
know the Methodists believe in that. (She was 
a Methodist.) We believe in being good — like 
our Master, who went about doing good to the 
souls and bodies of men." I then referred to 
that poor widow that God converted last night; 
what a hard time she had, caring for live little 
children, working late at night and early in the 



62 PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 

morning with but little to eat and poorly clad 
and without the comforts of salvation. I saw 
that she was deeply interested in my talk, and 
that I had the inside track. At this point I 
said, "Let us pray," at the same time dropping 
on my knees, I commenced praying for God to 
bless the work at Seneca Falls, and especially 
my landlady. She knelt while I prayed. The 
good Lord heard and answered prayer. . When 
I came to the Amen, she responded, Amen. 
We arose. She said with tears rolling down 
her face, "God bless you, Brother Osborne, I 
believe the Lord sent you here; I think you 
will do good here; just the man needed." I 
assured her that God sent me there, and that I 
meant to do good, and bade her good morning. 
No more was said about our leaving the house, 
but they made much effort to keep us there; 
and when the first year was up, they circulated 
a petition for our being returned the second 
year. We remained there two years and God 
gave us a continuous revival. For weeks souls 
were saved in every meeting at Seneca Falls, 
and at every point on this circuit we had a 
revival. 

' 'God moves in a mysterious way, 
His wonders to perform." 

The people that we were laboring with and 



PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 63 

for, were very poor, so that we were compelled 
to pray the Lord's prayer daily: and blessed 
be the name of the Lord, He fed and clothed 
us. It would be impossible to tell the many 
peculiar ways that God had in supplying our 
needs. On one occasion my entire suit of-wear- 
ing apparel had become badly worn and looked 
decidedly seedy. My coat was so feeble that 
it would not hold together under the arms, 
though wife had darned it much, and every 
time that I would raise my hand, when preach- 
ing, there would be an exhibition of cotton, 
which somewhat annoyed me. I prayed over 
the matter. I believed that God would supply 
my need. I said, "Lord, thy servant ought to 
be in a presentable shape*" It did not seem 
to me that in a country like ours, where there 
was such an abundance on every side, that God 
wanted me to go dressed so poorly. After 
much care, and thought and prayer, I called at 
the Post Office and received two letters. I did 
not open them until I reached home. My first 
letter contained a fifty dollar post office order. 
It seemed as if I could not believe my own 
senses. Tears of gratitude so filled my eyes 
that I could hardly read for the time being, 
while the Spirit said, "This means an entire 
suit of clothes." Of course this sent 
afresh the doxology coursing, vibrating and 



64 PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 

thoroughly permeating all of our redeemed 
powers. O, how precious it is to live where 
God feeds and clothes the body and satisfies 
our immortal nature with Himself. Well 
might the poet sing,— 

"O for such love let rocks and hills 
Their lasting silence break." 

Every law governing this vast universe, with 
all its intelligencies, are under the direct con- 
trol of our Heavenly Father. Nothing is lost 
to His sight. "If I ascend up into Heaven, 
Thou art there ; if I make my bed in Hell, be- 
hold Thou art there. If I take the wings of 
the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts 
of the sea, even there -shall Thy hand lead me, 
and Thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, 
Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the 
night shall be light about me. Yea, the dark- 
ness hideth not from Thee ; but the night 
shineth as the day; the darkness and the light 
are both alike to Thee." 

Every effect has its own legitimate cause. It 
is not necessary that we should understand 
perfectly the law governing cause and effect in 
order to have implicit trust and confidence in 
God. Things about us may have a strange and 
a very forbidding appearance, yet we are to 
get good out of all the events of life. "All 



PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 65 

things work together for good to them that 
love God." This will keep the soul cheerful 
and make life a pleasant pilgrimage. Having 
this constantly before our minds, that God di- 
rects or permits all of life's operations; and 
all for His glory, and the eternal well being of 
His dear children. Glory to God and the 
Lamb forever! "Heaven and earth would 
sooner pass away, than one jot, or one tittle, 
of His law, should fail." 

We believe God; the uncreated, that was, 
from everlasting, to everlasting ; that was, 
away back in the eternal solitudes of nature. 
With this profound mystery before us, and 
mysteries all along the way, we have the re- 
vealed will of God before us, which makes the 
way so plain, that, "The wayfaring men r 
though fools, shall not err therein." 

How numerous the cases where God's special 
providences have been made manifest in deliv- 
ering, in the time of great danger ; in sustain- 
ing in the time of drouth and famine; when 
wasted and worn by disease. Truly, our God> 
is,a present help, in time of need." 

In the fall of 1871 we were sent by our con- 
ference, and we believe by the Lord, to Phila- 
delphia, Pa. We had felt, through the sum- 
mer preceding, that we ought to go there in 
the fall. We arrived at our destination, and 



66 PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 

at Bro. Overing's about 6 o'clock p. m. As we 
sat down to tea, soon after our arrival, Sister 
O wring said to me, "Bro. Osborne, did you 
know that the small pox was very thick in this 
part of the city?" I said, "No !" I then 
asked, "How long has it been at work here ?" 
She said, "About three months." Immedi- 
ately my appetite for food left me, as suddenly 
as the unwelcome news approached me. I 
arose from the table without tasting of any food 
— powerfully tempted. The enemy said to me, 
"You see now what a fool you have made of 
yourself. You have brought your family here 
to die of the small pox." I thought for a few 
moments that I should sink. I found my way 
into the parlor and then into a bed-room. I 
fell on my knees and cried unto the Lord. I 
told the Lord that I came there in good faith, 
and I could not bear to have my family all 
destroyed by the small pox. While on my 
knees the Lord telephoned me in these words, 
"No plague shall come nigh thy dwelling." I 
recognized the communication as coming from 
my Heavenly Father, and immediately replied 
in these words: "Yea, Lord, be it unto Thy 
servant according to Thy word." The burden 
rolled off and I felt as secure all the year from 
that moment, as though pestilence and death 
were not in the city. It spread until every 



PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 67 

part of the city was scourged with small pox. 
Hundreds died every week with it, and thou- 
sands during the year. Wife and I visted 
those that were sick. Almost every day I was 
in a small pox procession; and all through the 
year I felt perfectly secure from all of its de- 
stroying power. 

Thus was God's special providence made 
manifest in this fearfully alarming time of pes- 
tilence and death. Some two hundred thou- 
sand left the city in fearful alarm and dismay. 
At another eppointment where our people were 
very poor and very much scattered, a rich man 
was saved and joined the feeble band. He 
agreed that if conference would let me stay 
with the poorest part of the circuit the second 
year, he would support the work, if it cost a 
thousand dollars, and beside, he would build 
a church for the pilgrims. This, doubtless he 
would have done, had he lived. He died so6n 
after conference, having paid but one hundred 
dollars, leaving us to trust alone in God for 
our support. The house that we occupied was 
sold so that we were compelled to find another. 
There was just one house to be rented in the 
place for six months, the balance of the confer- 
ence year, and this was owned by a hard-fisted 
landlord, and he wanted his rent monthly in 
advance. What could I do % I had nowhere 



68 PAETICULAR PROVIDENCE. 



to look for help, but to God alone. I must 
have a house, and get out of the one I then oc- 
cupied, or be turned into the street. What a 
dilemma ! How it would look to have a Free 
Methodist preacher, with wife and children, as 
good as ever graced the earth, turned into the 
street, because why ? I seemed to be forced to 
bargain for the house, and agree to pay 
monthly in advance. The price was eight dol- 
lars per month. These were days of sore trial 
and anxious care. Much time we spent on our 
knees with strong crying and tears before God 
for the salvation of souls, food and shelter. 
Three days before we were to make our first 
payment, just the amount came, and we se- 
cured the house. Money came so that we 
were able to pay our rent always on time, and 
with two exceptions, it came three days be- 
fore time. This has not always been the case, 
when we have trusted in boards, official or 
otherwise. But when we have been shut up 
alone with God, we have fed on the good of the 
land — the finest of wheat, with honey out of 
the Rock. 

A few years later on, we were shut up for 
trust, to a large official board. They managed 
the parsonage, or hired one, and were respon- 
sible for the rent, and we supposed that every- 
thing was moving along grandly — when one 



PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 69 

morning I was called out by an officer of the 
law, aud then he read a paper stating that 
three months rent was due, and unless it w T as 
paid immediately, I was to be thrown into the 
street, kit and cargo. This hard-hearted land- 
lord said to me when the bargain was made for 
the house, "the garden is good for nothing." 
It was a large one, but it had not been worked 
in ten years ; it had grown up to weeds and 
thistles, year after year, so I need not expect 
anything from that source." I thought, how 
bad it would look to have the preacher's back 
yard covered with weeds and thistles, i made 
up my mind that I would not let the weeds 
grow. I would have it plowed and worked — 
if no more. After it was plowed, I was im- 
pressed to plant it, which I did, I spent quite 
a little time in working my garden. The Lord 
wonderfully blessed it, so that it was the best 
in the place. I worked it with hoe and axe. 
This I had to do right after it had rained. 1 
made up my mind that my field could be made 
fruitful if well worked, with God's blessing. 
I have often heard it said that such places were 
so hard, that nothing could be done. They 
meant Spiritually. All such expressions indi- 
cate a small amount of faith. They seem to 
forget that "all things are possible icith God" 
"and to him that believeth" 



70 PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 

Our work has been largely of the faith mis- 
sion character, and wherever the ministry and 
laity have gone forth in that spirit, victory has 
crowned their labors. Much has been said and 
written about India and Africa's faith mis- 
sions, but too little about home faith missions. 
Is faith needed in those darkened lands for the 
salvation of the heathen? much more is mighty 
faith needed for the cultured heathen of Amer- 
ica. "0, breath of Heaven, come on us, that 
these dry bones may live" I am satisfied that 
too many of us, have too little faith in the Al- 
mighty. We do not seem to take into our 
minds the fact, that, all power in Heaven, and 
earth belongs to Him, and He that spake 
world's from nought, could, if necessary, cre- 
ate unnumbered worlds for the accomplish- 
ing of His designs in saving the human family. 

Remember, O, remember precious soul, that 
w T ith every felt need, your loving, Heavenly 
Father has the blessing in readiness, waiting 
for your contending faith to claim it ! 

"Though troubles assail, and dangers affright, 
Tnough friends should all fail, and foes all unite, 
Yet one thing secures us, whatever betide, 
The promise assures us, 'The Lord icill provided 

The birds, without barn or storehouse, are fed ; 
From them let us learn to trust for our bread ; 
His saints what is fitting shall ne'er be denied, 



PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE. 71 

So long as 'tis written, 'The Lord will provide." 

When Satan appears to stop up our path, 

And fills us with fears, we triumph by faith; 

He cannot take from us, (though oft he has tried.) 

The heart-cheering promise, ' The Lord will provide. ' 

He tells us we're weak — our hope is in vain ; 
The good that we seek we ne'er shall obtain: 
But when such suggestions our graces have tried, 
This answers all questions, 'The Lord will provide." 

No strength of our own, nor goodness we claim : 
Our trust is all thrown in Jesus' name ; 
In this our strong tower for safety we hide; 
The Lord is our power, 'The Lord will provide? 

When life sinks apace, and death is in view, 
The Word of His grace shall comfort us through : 
Not fearing or doubting with Christ on our side, 
We expect to die shouting, ' THE LORD DOES 
PROVIDE!'" 



72 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 



VII. 

A Peculiar People. 

f Theelect, the Chosen of God, those who are 
ordained unto life eternal, are God's peculiar 
people; they were in the past, they are now, 
and will be for all time to come. Hear the 
declaration of Holy Writ : 

"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice, 
indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall 
be a peculiar people, or treasure, unto me 
above all people, for all the earth is mine. — Ex. 
19-5. For thou art a holy people unto the 
Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee 
to be & peculiar people unto Himself, above all 
the nations that are upon the earth.— Deut. 14 
-2." Then in 26th chapter and 18th verse the 
same thought is expressed : "And the Lord 
hath avouched thee this day to be His peculiar 
people, as He hath promised thee, and that 
thou shouldst keep all His commandments. 
The Psalmist caught the inspiration and gave 
thought and expression in like manner: "For 
the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto Himself, and 
Israel for His peculiar people." 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 73 

Under the blazing light of the new dispensa- 
tion, with a heart and tongue all on tire with 
love divine, and vision turned upon the re- 
deemed of God, he declares what God would 
have us understand more perfectly that, u Ye 
are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a 
holy nation, & peculiar people; that ye should 
show forth the praises of Him who hath called 
you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 
which in time past were not a people, but are 
now the people of God ; which had not ob- 
tained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." 

The condition rendering God's people pecul- 
iar is of a twofold character— internal and ex- 
ternal, and both internal and external are like- 
wise of a twofold character, the positive and 
negative. 

A person may be very peculiar, and yet be 
far away from God. There is much that is 
odd, very odd, yea, very peculiar, connected 
with some very good people which is no part 
of Christianity. A few years ago I had the 
pleasure of attending a Sabbath School Con- 
vention of the M. E. Church at Black River, 
N. Y. A part of the program was a discussion 
of this proposition : 

"Shall we teach the peculiarities of Method- 
ism in our Sabbath Schools ?" 

There was much said, but nothing that had 



74 A PICULIAH PEOPLE. 

any special bearing on the subject. Rev. Mr. 

D said that he had a right to speak on 

the subject, as he was a Methodist, of Method- 
ists parents; two of his sisters married Meth- 
odist preachers ; and beside he had two broth- 
ers that were Methodist preachers, and his 
father's house was a home for Methodist 
preachers. He related many pleasant things 
that occurred among the preachers, and many 
peculiar things. he said there was one Bro. 
Lovice that was of ten at his home, a holy man. 
He really enjoyed holiness. At the table one 
day, mother, at the close of the meal, took the 
platter containing a custard pie, passed around 
the table and gave to each a piece. When she 
came to Brother Lovice, she said, "My dear 
brother, will you have a piece of pie?" He 
replied, "Yes, ma'am," holding out both 
hands, and received his pie in that peculiar 
way. This he related, and then said, "I be- 
lieve in the peculiarities of Methodism." 
There are too many, I fear, who entertain sim- 
ilar views of the qualities that go to make up 
what constitute a peculiar people. 

It is not eccentricity — though people lay 
much stress on that. It is not in being careless 
or indifferent, to any of the claims that God, 
or our neighbor has upon us ; nor indifference 
in regard to our personal appearance. The 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 75 

dress question is one of great importance. God 
requires us to adorn our bodies in modest ap- 
parel. Now, to meet the conditions, some 
things are necessary : First — The color and 
quality of goods purchased. Secondly — The 
style or manner in which they are made. It is 
not for the glory of God to have your clothes 
cut and made so that all who see you would 
never mistrust your clothes were made for 
you, but for some person of a much larger 
make-up. There are some people who are real 
saints, but in their manner of dress, they have 
no respect for the "terms''' modest or adorn. 
I maintain that the saints are the best-looking 
people the world has got, and they ought to 
dress the best. Thank God, some do ! The 
material should be becoming, age, and condi- 
tion in life, embraced in a thus saith the Lord. 
In the next place, garments should be made to 
fit. We should dress ourselves with care and 
neatness — not slovenly, or in a careless and ur> 
tidy manner. Many seem to have no respect 
for the fitness of things, especially for how 
their clothes fit. We should be in a presenta- 
ble condition : "adorned in modest apparel" 
Many have lost measurably their influence for 
good by their untidy, and utter disrespect of 
God's requirements in the matter of adorn- 
ments. 



76 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

A real saint, has the outside, and the inside 
of real salvation, which renders them God's 
peculiar people ; inside, and outside, right- 
eousness. It consists first, in having our sins 
taken from us — removed as far as the east is 
from the west, so that it has no more domin- 
ion over us, having our inner being washed 
and set free from all the remains of the carnal 
mind. This is preceded by a real death to car- 
nality — a death which too few experience, but 
necessary in order to prove the heights and 
depths of love divine. 

It is to be so dead to sin and self, that we 
shall be just like clay in the hands of the pot- 
ter, fashioned by Him as he wills and we lov- 
ingly submit and say, "Thy will be done, 0, 
Lord % my God, and my Redeemer. 

To be a peculiar people, means death to the 
tricks and wiles of the devil — so that in pre- 
senting his claims with all his Satanic art, 
there is no response within, but a repelling 
power springs up immediately. He will tempt 
you to disbelieve in Jesus Christ, that is, don't 
expect Him to save you so thoroughly as some 
claim. He will persuade you if possible to 
tone down a little; but with this death, and 
this resurrection power, you are more than a 
match for him. 

He will follow you all the way down to 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 77 

death. Everywhere he will present his claims, 
and with the least possible chance, he will 
overcome you. 

We are not above our Master. The world, 
with all its grandeur, will make its demands. 
As Christ was tempted to bow the knee, so will 
it be with us. The flesh will clamor for indul- 
gencies, but the child of God that is dead in- 
deed to sin and alive to Him, will overcome by 
the word of their testimony and the blood of 
the Lamb. The internal evidence that you are 
one of that family, a peculiar people, is grand- 
ly pronounced in the following manner : 

The first noticeable manifestation after you 
have made clean your escape from the land of 
bondage and destruction, will be a state of 
peace that will thrill your entire being. This 
will appear strange, after the awful conflict 
that you so recently passed through. Coming 
into a state of reconciliation — everything about 
you will seem to be in a lovely mood. As you 
move on in the divine life, this state of joy and 
gladness wall increase, so that your peace will 
flow as a river; and as you continue faithful in 
the grace already given, you will soon have 
w r hat the Psalmist called " Great peace." 
"Great peace have they which love thy law, 
and nothing shall offend them" That is, if 
you are sanctified wholly, made perfect in 



78 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

love, you have a peace that will not stumble 
over anything that may occur ; the ungodly 
things that are on all sides will not turn you 
out of the direct way to Heaven. Everlasting 
joy belongs to this people ; it comes natural 
to them, as rays of light from the sun, or as 
rain from the clouds. The command is, " Re- 
joice evermore." This would be impossible 
without a pure heart and a holy life. u The 
redeemed come to Zion, with songs and with 
everlasting joy upon their heads : they shall 
obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sigh- 
ing shall flee away." 

While the saints all have joy, they do not 
all have the same degree of joy ; neither w r ill 
they in the world to come. St. Paul says that 
"one star differeth. from another star in glory. 
So also is the resurrection." Holy joy is like 
a musical scale, with its added lines. Every 
note of praise has its positive, comparative and 
superlative development. The first note of 
holy joy that will be discovered in us will be 
in singing the songs of Zion. The redeemed 
come with songs ; and yet there may be the 
joy, not only of the justified believer, but of 
the wholly sanctified. Glory to God. While 
this may be true, not all that sing the songs 
of Zion are blessed with this holy, triumphant 
joy. Only the redeemed have it. 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 79 

The second degree of joy, in the natural 
scale, will be found in the hearty amen ; espe- 
cially if it be born of the Spirit. A great many 
aniens were never born of the Spirit ; they are 
counterfeits. How blessed are the sanctified 
amens. How rich the service that is well in- 
terspersed with them. The amen corners in 
our churches are of inestimable value ; as much 
so as the Urim and Thummim in the Mosaic 
dispensation. It clearly revealed the presence 
of the Most High ; so do the spirit-inspired 
amens. How encouraging the unctions amens 
to the saints. How it lifts the preacher while 
proclaiming the everlasting gospel. Oh, that 
God would baptize the church with more sanc- 
tified, Holy Ghost amens. 

The note of praise running still higher in the 
scale of holy joy will be, "Praise the Lord." 
How little we hear of this, to what we ought 
to hear. But as we advance in the divine life, 
the praises of God will increase in our hearts, 
and upon our lips, and we shall feel like say- 
ing: "Let everything that hath breath praise 
the Lord." 

The next higher note of joy will be "Glory." 
This will spring up so natural if you occupy 
just the right spot on the scale of experience. 
You cannot pump it up, if the well is dry. 
There must be living w r ater in the well. Jesus 



80 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

said, "The water that I give you shall be in 
you a well of water springing up unto ever- 
lasting life." 

As you ascend the mount of holiness, the 
next higher note struck will be "Hallelvja7iP y 
This note is sweeter than honey and the honey 
comb. In order to understand music on this 
key, you must live in the promised land. Thus 
far in the scale of everlasting joy we have lan- 
guage to express in a very faint degree the 
heaven that reigns within. But there comes a 
condition in our onward flight when all the 
language employed by mortal beings fail to ex- 
press the joy that floods the soul. St. Paul, 
master of the Greek language, which is said to 
be very expressive, could not give it in that, 
so, doubtless, he gave it in the language em- 
ployed by angels. <k For," says the Apostle, 
"Believing, ye rejoice with joy which is un- 
speakable and full of glory." That must be a 
little of the bliss that we shall know when we 
surround the throne ; bliss without alloy; joy 
unspeakable and full of glory. "The joy of 
the Lord is our strength." God grant that the 
reader and the writer may have a great deal 
of this joy, regardless of the outer manifesta- 
tion. 

But in this condition of salvation, there will 
be outer manifestations ; outer developments. 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 81 

Life is not an even spun thread. Rivers are 
not all the way through, the same, width and 
depth. The earth is not a dead level — a vast 
prairie — not all hill— not all valley, but a vari- 
ety. The beauty of creation, is this endless 
variety. Who could bear to gaze forever on a 
vast plain, or mountain scenery % I believe 
that Heaven will be made np of change. It 
will take all of eternity to develop God's crea- 
tive power. It is true, there will be some gen- 
eral features that will abide ; it is so with 
Christian life ; but outwardly there will be 
new developments, new manifestations. 

"Good works," will be the most marked, 
demonstration. This people are "zealous of 
good works." The work of beneficence occu- 
pies a large place with all that truly belong to 
Jesus. In this they will be like Him, who 
went about doing good to the souls and bodies 
of men ; feeding the hungry, clothing the 
naked, visiting the sick, and so far as we have 
the power, helping in every legitimate way: 

u The voice of charity is kind, 

She thinketh nothing wrong — 
To every fault she seemeth blind ; 

Nor vaunteth with her tongue. 
'Tis not to pause when at the door — 

A shivering brother stands : 
To ask the cause, what made him poor ! 

Or why he help demands." 



82 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

Christian men and women are stewarls for 
God. Their income, after economically pro- 
viding for their own needs, goes for God's 
cause. How this cause would move, if all that 
profess to be disciples of Christ, were thus act- 
uated. The secret of living where the great 
Shechinah will shine full-orbed upon your 
soul ; where, not a cloud will arise to intervene 
for a moment, to darken the souFs vision, 
comes when you are under, and daily bearing 
the cross. What blessed opportunities are 
presented daily, for denying self, and making 
glad hearts which have long been in the deep- 
est sorrow, and affliction. How we may cheer 
the broken-hearted, if we will, and help the 
pilgrim on his way. 

The very best investments come on this line. 
But woe to him that is greedy of gain, that is 
constantly seeking to lay up treasures on earth 
where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where 
thieves break through and steal. "Whatsoev- 
er a man soweth, that, shall he also reap," is 
the fiat of fate ; the unchangeable law of Him 
that made and controls all things on earth, and 
in Heaven. 

This people will have another class of man- 
ifestations, peculiar and marvelous. When 
the Holy Ghost comes on an individual, as it 
will, wdien a complete surrender has been made, 



A PECULIAE PEOPLE. 83 

there will be at times, visible evidences of that 
fact. This manifestation will not be the same 
with every individual, neither will it be al- 
ways the same with the same person. The 
Spirit's operations are differently presented ; 
some will fall — others will laugh — some will 
cry — run — jump — shake as with the ague — 
shout — praise God — sing — and in various 
peculiar ways, God the Holy Ghost will man- 
ifest Himself. This has been the condition of 
things in the church of God from the beginning 
down to the present time when the church has 
been alive in Him, earnestly seeking to do His 
will. But when a church is dead — plucked up 
by the root — cold, frozen, stiff, formal, back 
slidden,why, then they have things "decently, 
and in order." There are lots of churches in 
these days that, a legally constituted amen, 
would give them all a severe run of fever ! 

I suppose that if David, the King of Israel, 
should come to worship with you as he wor- 
shiped before the ark, dancing with all his 
might, you would have him stop, or put him 
out. I have no doubt but that you would set 
as umpire and cry out fanaticism, wild-fire. 

Jesus, on his triumphal entry into Jeru- 
salem, was followed by the crowd ; the chil- 
dren that were there worshiped Him, crying out 
Hosannah to Jesus, the King of Israel ! The 



84 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

old Pharisees then acted just as they have ever 
since when God blesses His children, request- 
ing them to stop their noise. Jesus gently re- 
proved them in the statement made. Said He : 
"If these should hold their peace, the stones 
would cry out." How this truth has been 
verified again and again. When one people 
stop praising God in the way the Spirit directs 
and operates, then another is raised up to 
take their place, thus it has ever been. The 
Free Methodist church was raised up to take 
the place made vacant by others, to offer the 
tribute of praise in its various moods and 
tenses to the Lord Almighty. Beware how r 
you put your hands on the Ark ! Death 
comes on that line. "Quench not the Spirit" 
Alas ! the fumes of the dead killed in that way 
cover the land like a malaria, and the odor in 
many of our churches is stifling. 0, for a 
breeze of salvation's life and power on all the 
churches. 

But to return. The man healed at the beau- 
tiful gate by Jesus Christ through Peter, went 
off leaping, and walking, and praising God. 
It must have looked very strange to those who 
saw it. A man, lame from his birth, perform- 
ing in such a peculiar manner. Why did he 
not after the healing power came on him, walk 
off quietly % Why excite curiosity ? Doubt- 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 85 

less it was for God's glory. If lie had gone to 
his home in a quiet manner, but few would 
have taken notice of the circumstance; whereas 
leaping, and walking, and praising God, drew 
the attention of the people and of those who 
never had known him, to the marvelous fact, 
that a miracle had taken place on this man, 
and while their curiosity was in lively exercise, 
Jesus Christ was preached unto them as the 
Physician for soul and body. He wants the 
glory for what He does for our souls and 
bodies. 

The day of Pentecost was a sample day of 
what we might have every day, during this 
dispensation, if the church wanted it and 
would put herself in the same condition to 
receive it, and doubtless with as peculiar, and 
marked demonstrations. On that occasion, it 
sat upon each like a tongue of fire, and they 
all began to speak with other tongues, as the 
Spirit gave them utterance. It has been said 
that some seventeen different languages were 
spoken on that occasion. What other outer 
demonstrations there were on that occasion 
we are not informed; but it is quite evident 
from what followed, there were some, for Peter's 
denial of the charge of drunkenness would in- 
dicate the fact that they did take place. 
i 'These are not drunken as ye supposed." 



86 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

Ill every genuine revival the church has had 
from the very beginning up to the present time, 
powerful manifestations of God's presence in 
a way calculated to arouse the most hardened 
and wretched sinner to a realization of their 
awful danger while in their sins, causing them 
to cry out from the very depths of despair, 
God be merciful to me a sinner. We often 
hear persons pray for the influences of the 
Spirit. Under certain conditions that would 
be right, but what we always need, is the 
mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, 
just as it came on the sample day, and if I 
read the scriptures aright, the promise is that 
God will pour out of His Spirit in this dispen- 
sation, upon all flesh, not sprinkle us with an 
influence but saturate and till us. For He 
says, u Be not drunk with wine, wherein is ex- 
cess, but be filled with t7te Spirit" 

Methodism, in the days of Wesley, Whit- 
field, Asbury and Peter Cartwright, was 
marked by very peculiar outer demonstra- 
tions. Falling, like the dead slain in battle, 
was a very common feature. At a camp-meet- 
ing held in about the year 1803 in Kentucky, 
five hundred at one time fell under the power 
of the Holy Ghost. ^Somewhere between 
1803 and 1801, in the upper part of Kentucky, 
at a memorable place called Cane Ridge, there 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 87 

was appointed a sacramental meeting by some 
of the Presbyterian ministers, at which meet- 
ing seemingly unexpected by ministers or peo- 
ple, the mighty power of God was displayed in 
a very extraordinary manner, many were 
moved to tears, and bitter and loud crying for 
mercy. The meeting was protracted for weeks. 
Ministers of almost all denominations flocked 
in from far and near. The meeting was kept 
up both night and day. Thousands heard of 
the mighty work, and came on foot, on horse- 
back, in carriages and wagons. It was sup- 
posed that there were in attendance at times 
during the meeting from twelve to twenty-five 
thousand people. Hundreds fell prostrate 
under the mighty power of God, as men slain 
in battle. Stands were erected in the woods 
from which preachers of different churches 
proclaimed repentance toward God and faith 
in our Lord Jesus Christ, and it was supposed 
by eye and ear witnesses, that between one 
and two thousand souls were happily and 
powerfully converted to God during the meet- 
ing. It was not unusual for one, two, three, 
and four to seven preachers to be addressing 
the listening thousands at the same time from 
the different stands erected for that purpose. 
The Heaveidy fire spread in almost every di- 
rection. It was said, by truthful toitnesses. 



88 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

that at times more than one thousand persons 
broke out into loud shouting all at once, and 
the shouts could be heard for miles around" 
The Methodist ])reachers that were at this 
meeting possessed some of the John Wesley 
ability to utilize whatever might aid in ad- 
vancing the Redeemer's Kingdom, saw in the 
meeting just described a glorious opportunity, 
which they immediately embraced, and out of 
which evolved the notorious camp-meeting 
referred to in another place as a child of Metho- 
dism. Bishop Simpson said in a sermon that 
he preached to a large congregation of class- 
leaders at Philadelphia, Pa., from these words, 
*'He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and 
with fire," "that the Methodists owed their 
success to this baptism; and what made them 
peculiar was the fire. This was a double ble- 
ssing, producing intensity of life and action, 
with visible manifestations of God's presence 
and power often manifested in peculiar ways. 
I remember well for more than fifty years, 
how the Lord graciously poured out His 
Spirit on our beloved Zion. The times of re- 
freshing, cries for mercy, the songs of praise, 
the aniens and the glorious Hallelujahs that 
1 heard half a century ago, come welling up in 
my soul as though it were yesterday. I at- 
tended a quarterly meeting at Abion, N. Y., 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 89 

in the old brick M. E. Church, L. Stiles pastor, 
in 1857. This was one of the original meet- 
ings gotten up by Rev. B. T. Roberts, and 
Rev. L. Stiles. It was a four day meeting. I 
had never been away from home before to at- 
tend a meeting of this character. I had a good 
deal of anxiety to know what kind of people 
I should see at that meeting. An old class- 
leader that lived near me was on his way to 
that meeting with me. Said I, 'Brother, what 
kind of folks will attend the quarterly meet 
ing V Said he, 'The very cream of the church.' 
As we came near the church w r e could hear the 
saints as they met each other coming in from 
the regions round about, greeting one another 
with 'Praise the Lord, I am so glad to see you, 
how does your soul prosper, well ? glory to 
God,' Then would ring out Spirit-born amens. 
This was before the meeting had commenced. 
I was captured by these greetings. This meet- 
ing commenced at 9 o'clock a. m., with a 
prayer meeting, first was five minutes of secret 
prayer. In about two minutes an old gray- 
haired pilgrim got blessed, sprang up and com- 
menced shouting glory, Hallelujah, with what 
I thought, unearthly power. He jumped to his 
feet and I to mine. He continued to shout, 
and I gazed with wonder, and shook from 
head to foot as though everything around me 



90 A PICULIAK PEOPLE. 

was moving heavenward. Very soon I got on 
my knees again and asked the Lord to steady 
my nerves, for I felt that I must have some- 
thing, for the element around me was perfect- 
ly awful and solemn. I had been on my knees 
but a short time before a Bro. in the back part 
of the church sprang to his feet and with such 
lung power as it seemed to me at that time I 
had never heard before shouted with all his 
might — 'HallelujdK — and this he repeated 
until the house was full of glory, and of God. 
This was a Pentacostal meeting. Here the 
saints received the baptism of the Holy 
Ghost and fire, fitting them up for the aw- 
ful ordeal of expulsion from their own 
home, consecrated by the dearest ties of na- 
ture and grace ; made dear by every recol- 
lection of bygone days. Here in the begin- 
ning of our Christian life, were Spiritual fath- 
ers and mothers, who cared for us with great 
tenderness and solicitude. Now, to be thrust 
out froin our dear old home, simply because 
we loved her and were trying to maintain her 
rights, was cruel indeed. 'But God had a pur- 
pose in this, as much as He had in the selling 
of Joseph into Egypt. Benjamin must be cast 
out to man the life-boat, to rescue the perish- 
ing. Nearly thirty years has come and gone 
with trials, conflicts, persecutions, broadside 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 91 

after broadside from the old craft, and other 
crafts, yet, the Captain has maintained his 
place at the mast-head, holding high the in- 
signia that brought us to the front, 'HOLINESS 
UNTO THE LORD.'" May his life and 
health be preserved for years to come to main- 
tain the same work that he has so tenaciously 
held to in the past, amen. While others have 
been raised up to help in bearing aloft the ban- 
ner of heart purity, noble men and women, 
our brother has not become puffed up by great 
prosperity, but maintains the simplicity of the 
gospel as in other days. 

Rev. Amos Hard lived in the town of Mur- 
ry, N. Y., live miles from Albion and foui* 
from Holly, I lived neighbour to him. Per- 
haps there was not another man in Genesee 
Conference that did so much to stir up war as 
Bro. Hard. As a Sister remarked on the old 
Bergen camp ground, u Bro. Hard is all heads 
heads and points." His relation to his church 
was supernumerary. This relation he oc- 
cupied for twenty- five years, so that he was at 
liberty to go and come when he pleased. It 
was expected that when the Free church was 
organized, he would come right in, but he did 
not. If he had been expelled, as others were 
for doing some of the same work that he did, 
doubtless, he would have come in. There was 



92 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

just one thing that prevented his expulsion, 
and that was, his two sons that were in Genesee 
College. His character was arrested several 
times, and the only thing that saved his head 
from the axe, was his superior sons. It was ar- 
gued like this, "You expel Brother Hard, and 
we lose two of the smartest students we have in 
the college," and the last time that our 
Brother was put through the crucible, it was 
added, "and the Free Methodists will get 
them." This statement I had from Sister 
Hard. His home was a rendezvous for those 
engaged in making war on church idols. 

Much harm has been done to the cause of 
Christ by not properly estimating religious 
demonstrations. Some have laid too much 
stress upon them. While blessed in the past, 
they had peculiar manifestations, and then 
come to this conclusion, that, when blessed of 
God, they would always have the same outer 
demonstrations ; and if they did not have the 
same, readily concluded that they were not 
right with God, when at the same time they 
had not knowingly grieved the Spirit in any 
way. The next step with them has been to 
cast away their confidence in Christ, quit 
doing duty and of course, they were soon far 
away from the Lord. We should always hold 
fast the profession of our faith, if we have not 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 93 

committed sin, regardless of everything else. 
If we have done wrong, hasten to make it 
right. The cause of Christ has suffered great 
damage and in many places it has been com- 
pletely smothered by those that sit in judg- 
ment and condemn every phase of experience 
that does not meet their preconceived notions 
of just how a person should act when blessed 
of God ; condemning what may seem peculiar 
and strange because they do not understand it, 
is not wise. The Holy Spirit has been grieved, 
yea, blasphemed in too many cases in that way. 
Charges and conferences have been greatly 
checked, and in some cases dried up by the 
root, by harshly condemning the Spirifs oper- 
ations. I have no doubt but that they honest- 
ly sought to remedy what they supposed was a 
serious difficulty — greatly hindering the work 
of the Lord. Their efforts were not blessed of 
God, and worked ruin, because they resorted 
to wrong measures. I believe that the devil 
has power to imitate the Spirit, especially in 
demonstrations. But suppose that he has? 
We need be a little cautious how we give him 
credit. John Wesley and others at Fetter- 
lane fell into the same difficulty which grieved 
the Spirit and brought deadness to the work 
at that place, and leanness into their souls. 
They sought unto the Lord to know the 



04 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

difficulty and God let light upon them, just as 
He would do by you if you are guilty of a like 
offense. 

Wesley and others made the following 
confession: "We acknowledged our having 
grieved Him by our divisions ; one saying, I 
am of Paul, another, I am of Apollos ; by our 
leaning again to our own works and trust- 
ing in them, instead of Christ, by our resting 
in those little beginnings of sanctiiication, 
which it had pleased Him to work in our souls, 
and, above all, by blaspheming His worJc 
among us, imputing it to nature, to the force 
of imagination and animal spirits, or even to 
the delusion of the devil. In that hour, we 
found God with %is as at the first. Some fell 
prostrate upon the ground. Others burst out, 
as with one consent, into loud praise and 
thanksgiving. And many openly testified 
there had been no such day as this since Jan- 
nary the first preceding." {Wesley Jour- 
nal, Volume 3, page lift.) 

After confessing their faults, one to another, 
the blessing of the Lord came as on former oc- 
casions. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 
is not the above remedy what we need among 
us, as a people? especially in some places. 
Wherever it has been tried, it proved glorious- 
ly successful. In fact, it is the only remedy 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 95 

for the like difficulties. A good square con- 
fession is always health to the soul, it works 
like a charm. If you have grieved the Holy 
Spirit, try it. 

During more than fifty years I have witnessed 
a great many powerful revivals, and from 
what I have seen I come to this conclusion, 
that it is impossible to have a revival of God's 

salvation where the real burden of the Lord 

■ 

will rest on Zion, so she will feel a little as 
Christ felt when in the Garden, when such con- 
viction will come on sinners that they will see 
themselves and their real danger, leading them 
to cry for life, without manifesting much that 
will be decidedly peculiar. But to stop and 
spend, or waste time in trying to regulate the 
Holy Ghost, is exceedingly foolish. You 
might as well try to regulate chain -lightning 
as it came from the clouds. When there is 
much fire in the furnace clinkers are formed, 
but you don' t spend your time working at 
clinkers, it's the fire you want. A great many 
have tried to manage the train to suit their 
views of things, but the result has been in too 
many cases, a fearful smashup. Others 
through their blinded zeal have got on the 
train just in time to be side-tracked or ushered 
suddenly into eternity. How many have come 
into the Free Methodist church apparently 



96 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

with a desire to run this train according to 
their schedule time, but were soon side-tracked, 
or ceased to be. 

God Almighty's train must be managed ac- 
cording to the old time-table. Jobbers — com- 
promisers — and all that love and make a lie, 
off from the track at once. But few brakemen 
are needed on this train, but a premium is of- 
fered for first-class firemen. Beloveds, up 
with the brakes, and let the train move on, 
and don't become alarmed if she gets under 
big headway. 

In 1863 Brother and Sister Cooley and the 
writer held a camp-meeting at Blood's Corners, 
N. Y. After the Sabbath we were helped by 
Brother and Sister Roberts. Brother James 
Matthews and others came in from a meeting 
that had just closed at Akron. It was a very 
hard place to run a meeting from the fact that 
in that section of country nearly all professed 
to be Christians, when it was plain to be seen 
that in most cases they were in a backslidden 
state if they had ever been converted, which 
was doubted. Crowds came on the ground 
and openly and in other ways opposed the 
work that we were called to do, that was to 
spread "scriptural holiness." On one occasion 
when Brother Cooley was exhorting a large 
crowd on this subject, a local preacher belong- 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 97 

ing to some church, jumped up and com- 
manded Brother Cooley to stop at once, "they 
did not want to hear such stuff." Brother 
Cooley paid no attention to this but continued 
to exhort. Then the fellow turned on Brother 
C, and cried out with all his might for the 
Holy Ghost to knock our brother down. This 
he repeated, declaring they would not hear 
such talk. This was a hard fought battle field 
but victory came on this wise. On Tuesday 
night about twelve o'clock it was thought by a 
number of real saints that came on the ground 
from New York City, and from Illinois, and 
by those that had been there from the begin- 
ning that God could and would give the victory 
if we should make a more thorough effort. 
Accordingly twenty or more (and they were 
members of eight denominations) went into 
Brother Roberts' tent and engaged in earnest 
prayer to this end. 

Our praying was characterized by intense 
earnestness, all that were in that meeting felt 
that way. Some took a very humble position,, 
especially Brother Belden of N. Y. He was; 
a Presbyterian minister. He confessed he 
had compromised, but would do so no more. 
He would preach a whole gospel the remainder 
of his life, if compelled by so doing to beg 
from door to door. It seemed to take us until 



98 A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 

four o'clock in the morning to reach the spot 
where faith sprang up claiming the Holy Ghost 
and the fire. At this point it came on all in 
that tent. It made no difference because we 
belonged to different organizations, all fell as 
slain in battle, except one. At this meeting 
our dear Brother Roberts fell under the power 
of God several times. He approached the per- 
son that did not fall to lay his hands on their 
head, but when his hands came within one 
foot of them he fell the quickest of any person 
that I ever saw fall. This was one of the most 
glorious meetings that I ever knew anything 
about. After this salvation flowed in upon 
us like a mighty river, souls were saved, 
believers were sanctified wholly, and the Free 
Methodists struck an abiding place at that 
time, and from this point it has gone out to 
bless others in regions beyond. In those days 
we made it a point to have the victory on all 
occasions If at first we did not succeed we 
would try again, let the drill go down until 
we struck the living stream. There is no 
such thing as failure with those whose faith 
and trust is in God. u This is the victory that 
overcometh the world, even our faith." 

Free Methodism is a child of Providence, 
born in due time. She is a spontaneous pro- 
duction of the Holy Ghost, and all legitimate 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 99 

children are made so by the same power. It 
cannot be learned from any other source. A 
great many come in with us from other church- 
es, but when our machinery gets under full 
headway, they become alarmed at what they 
see and hear and then try to adjust things to 
their primary knowledge of the science. In 
trying to do this as preachers, they have got- 
ten themselves and the societies over which 
they were placed into serious difficulty. Not 
having a natural induction into the science of 
Free Methodism, they did the best they knew, 
but when they should have raised the 
valve and let on more steam, down went the 
brakes, and when faith should have been en- 
couraged, personal grievances were introduced. 
Now to illustarate — You may have carried a 
watch for many years and know much about 
the object of a watch, but if you were to go 
into a watch maker's establishment to make 
watches, you would have to commence at the 
very foundation in order to know how to 
make a watch. It is precisely so in this 
science. To work understandingly and in 
harmony with it, one must be born into it, 
BORN OF THE SPIRIT. Our machinery is 
the very best ever devised, providing that it is 
well worked. It must be worked in order that 
its beauty and symmetry may be seen and ap- 



100 FREE METHODISM 

predated. But if it is allowed to go on the 
dry dock, it presents a forlorn appearance. 
It is only when under sail with a stiff breeze, 
that her grand proportions are visible. 



VIII. 

The Free Methodist Church a Necessity. 

Completeness in all the works of God are 
everywhere manifest. Harmony prevails in 
the vast system of worlds above, and all 
around us. By the aid of the telescope, we 
view with delight the increasing magnitude of 
those heavenly bodies, from the asteroid, up 
to that mysterious orb that gives life and light 
to the vegetable and animal kingdoms, and rhe 
worlds that move in space. The chain is com- 
plete. Every link is in its proper place. This is 
correct in both kingdoms. You may trace with 
profound interest the smallest insect that 
crawls upon the leaf to the giant mastodon 
that roams the forest. This law prevails like- 



A NECESSITY. 101 

wise in the kingdom of grace. As one star 
differeth from another star in glory, so also is 
the resurrection. And when we stand upon 
the sea of glass mingled with fire, and gaze 
upon that innumerable company that have 
washed their robes and made them white in 
the blood of the Lamb, the law of necessity, 
and development will be manifest. Heaven 
would be very incomplete if this were not true. 
If there were none but arch-angels and matured 
saints ; if the children of all grades, those just 
blooming into life were not there ; if men and 
women with the feeblest intellect redeemed to 
God by the blood of the Lamb were not there, 
then indeed, the chain would be broken, and 
Heaven would be incomplete. What joy 
comes to the Christian parents, when compelled 
to lay their dear child, that had already given 
them so much real pleasure, away in the cold 
silent grave, to feel that we shall meet again, 
and be forever with the Lord. 

We now come to a different consideration, 
that is, the Christian church or churches. This 
is of a twofold character, internal and exter- 
nal. It may have an existence where it does 
not appear externally; and what often has an 
external appearance as the church of Christ, 
may have no relation to Him, Nevertheless, 
it does possess the invisible and the visible or- 



102 FREE METHODISM 

ganization. The invisible or spiritual church 
of Christ, is one, in Heaven, and on earth. The 
visible organization is manifold. She might 
well be compared to a family with many mem- 
bers, all striving to do the will of the parent. 
All have not the same office. Every branch of 
the christian church have their mission, and 
will be required to do just what they are fitted 
for by nature, culture, and by grace. Where 
much has been given, much will be required. 
Responsibility measures up to the above rule. 

The whole family of churches evolved one 
after another from the old Catholic church : 
and all, seem to have a mission in the world's 
drama. Just what that mission is, I am not 
able to define. Perhaps some are to operate 
as parasites on others. The mission of the 
church of Christ was to seek and save the lost 
and perishing. The Wesleyan Methodist 
church declares in her book of discipline that 
they were raised up to spread scriptural holi- 
ness over these lands ; and while she was true 
to her mission, nothing could stand before her. 
Where ever she unfurled the banner of the 
cross, rebellion ceased, and Jesus Christ w T as 
crowned Lord of all. At least multitudes were 
saved to God and joined the ranks of the re- 
deemed. 

The doctrines of the M. E. Church were or- 



A NECESSITY. 103 

dained in heaven, honored of God, and blessed 
to the salvation of millions. Her general rules 
were a strong tower; mighty bulwarks, ren- 
dering her when within that fortification im- 
pregnable. For nearly a century she stood 
the assault and rage of earth and hell without 
flinching, and the glory cloud did rest upon 
her. But the time came when she fell ; not by 
the might y invading forces without altogether, 
but by internal foes that she had taken to her 
loving embrace. Her manner of life is entirely 
changed, or nearly so. Humility has given 
way to pride and ostentation. The doctrines 
that she once placed such stress upon, the 
witness of the spirit, entire holiness, a confes- 
sion of sin, restitution, plainness of dress, she 
now largely ignores. Those internal foes that 
she cares for so tenderly have robbed her of 
her Spiritual life and power. The glory mani- 
fested during the service of preaching, prayer 
or class-meeting, has in many places entirely 
disappeared. Beside the enemies already men- 
tioned, she had taken within her pale, mem- 
bers that belong to speculative Free Masonry, 
who are opposed to Jesus Christ and his gos- 
pel ; hence, war was waged within the church 
by this army of Satan, against Christ and His 
army, the saints. This division of purpose by 
the two armies within the church was every- 



104 FREE METHODISM 

where manifest : each party, seeking for the 
supremacy. While the saints held tenaciously 
to the ancient land-marks which our fathers 
set, Satan's wing labored to introduce the new 
order of things. 

One of the great mistakes made by this 
church is in receiving members that were never 
converted, but simply had a lukewarm desire 
to go to heaven when they had exhausted every 
round of earthly pleasure. Bishop Peck made 
this statement in a sermon that he preached a 
short time before his death, U I am persuaded 
that more than three-fourths of all the mem- 
bers in my beloved church, were never con- 
verted." A sad confession indeed ; but obser- 
vation proves his statement correct. No 
wonder, with these elements within, our 
mother sought to array herself in gorgeous ap- 
parel. What a contrast between these days 
of pomp, and vanity, and worldly mindedness, 
and the days of blessed memory, when array- 
ed in Christ's righteousness. No wonder that 
there was war in the church, when Susie and 
John came home from boarding school, back- 
slidden completely from good desires, with the 
new order of things fresh in their minds, were 
ashamed of mother's old fashioned style, de- 
termined that there should be a change in the 
programme. So they commenced by banging 



A NECESSITY. 105 

mother's hair and putting rings in her ears and 
on her fingers. The bustle, put in its horrid 
appearance with extra yards of cloth, buttons, 
ribbons, all of which gave our dear old mother 
the appearance of a stranger. Of course, she 
was urged to comb her hair back as in the days 
of her simplicity, and decorate herself in mod- 
est apparel, without gold, or pearls, or costly 
array; but she w T as obstinate, and has been 
ever since. 

The time was when the Methodists were a 
plain, clean, Godly class of people. Their 
churches w r ere built plain wdth free seats, good 
enough for the rich, and none too good for the 
poor ; and all w r ere welcome, rich and poor. 
The principle that actuated them in bygone 
days was, the house of God should be as free 
as the gospel we preach, and both as free as 
the air we breathe ; and on this line the glory 
of the Lord was manifest in the salvation of 
souls, and in the sanctification of believers. 

The new order of things brought with it a 
new order of church edifices ; seemingly just 
to accommodate the rich to the great neglect 
of the poor ! Of course, in all churches where 
the seats are sold, a few are reserved for the 
poor, and for colored people. After a poor 
man or woman have accepted the paupers' seat 
for a Sabbath or two, they get tempted over it, 



106 EKEE METHODISM 

and stay away from church altogether ; when 
if the seats had been free, they would have 
continued their attendance upon divine ser- 
vice, and likely been converted to God, and 
made a great blessing to the church, and to 
the world. 

It is a tremendous mistake, the practice of 
dedicating a church to God, and then selling 
it out to whom \ why, anybody that have a 
mind to buy it ; and in a multitude of cases, 
wicked, ungodly wretches have bought the 
best seats in the house, giving them power over 
that society, so that in ninety-nine cases out 
of every hundred, the preacher in the pulpit 
of such churches, is gagged ; some subjects he 
dare not touch, because forsooth, his bread and 
his butter is at stake ; that because of this sys- 
tem, millions have been kept away from the 
house of God and have perished. 

One of the most embarrassing things the 
learned clergy of to-day have to meet con- 
stantly is, what shall we do with this great 
estrangement of the poor from the house of 
God? 

My answer to the above proposition is, free 
churches throughout the land, baptized with 
the Holy Ghost, and with fire, will solve this 
mighty problem. This is the only solution. 

Instrumental music is another innovation.. 



1 A NECESSITY. 107 

The music that pleases God, is that which 
comes from a heart, consecrated to Him, in- 
spired by love divine, springing up like a 
fountain of life ; the spontaneous outgoings of 
the spirit. We must sing in the spirit, and 
with the understanding also. 

This part of divine service should be free to 
all present, not marred by the instrument, 
neither by the select few. In this, we should 
study to show ourselves approved unto God. 
I cannot believe that He loves ignorance in the 
service of song, any more than in preaching 
His gospel. We should aim at the greatest 
efficiency in all the service rendered. This 
w r as the original plan as it came to our fathers. 
But with the new order of things came the 
organ, and the distressing few, to do the most 
precious partof divine worship. 

Preaching the gospel was the means or- 
dained of God for the salvation of the lost, and 
where this is done with the Holy Ghost sent 
down from Heaven, the work is accomplished. 
God never ordained the reading of essays as 
a means to bring sinners to Christ. His pro- 
phets anciently spake as they were moved 
upon by the Holy Ghost, and success crowned 
their efforts. 

Carnal Amusements are a great hindrance 
in carrying forward the work of the Lord in 



108 FREE METHODISM 

any church. They grieve the Spirit and 
cause those that indulge in them to backslide 
and become worthless as laborers in the cause 
of Christ. 

The Sabbath School should be the nursery of 
the church ; and is, when the salvation of the 
school is the primary object. When time, 
talents and means are employed to that end, 
but if carnal amusements are held up as the 
jobject for which they aspire, then indeed, 
much of our labor will be in vain. 

Camp-meetings are an American institution 
and a child of Methodism. Eternity alone can 
tell the good accomplished by these means of 
grace. Thousands have been attracted to God's 
leafy temple where the greatest amount of 
Spiritual freedom generally prevails, especially 
when ancient simplicity and earnestness pre- 
vails, because there is always something in- 
viting, something grand and glorious about 
these God ordained gatherings. Can you 
imagine a place more lovely to behold, and to 
enjoy, than a beautiful forest dotted with 
Israel's tents, and a company of those that are 
in earnest to get to Heaven? the son<fs of 
praise, the shouts of new-born souls, and on 
.every side to feel that God and angels are there. 
Truly, such a place has a charm for all that 
Jove the good and the beautiful. But when 



A NECESSITY. 109 

the camp-meeting becomes a place for trade 
and speculation, a place for visiting, for idle- 
ness and feasting, for airing one's opinions, for 
anything and everything but self-denial and 
earnestly seeking the baptism of the Holy 
Ghost on their own souls and on the souls of the 
unsaved, then the ancient glory departs, and 
as a substitute culture in style, from the tent, 
to the magnificent cottage, the exclamations 
of holy joy in the electric amen — praise the 
Lord — glory to God — Hallelujah — give way to 
jesting, to light and trifling conversation, and 
to engaging in those things that produce the 
most fun. Then, indeed, it becomes necessary 
that another people should be raised up to do 
camp-meeting work as in former days, when 
the glory of the Lord rested upon this branch 
of Zion. 

In too many cases the camp-meeting of to- 
day is simply a huge Pic-Nic! I believe the 
real difficulty has been, and is, in failing to 
preach, experiance to live, and enforce sancti- 
fication, or perfect love. This was the central 
thought with this church, and should be with 
every Christian denomination. It should tower 
above every other consideration. It is true 
that the doctrine of holiness has become quite 
popular in some directions, but that kind 
that contains the cross that kills, and produces 



110 FREE METHODISM 

resurrection life and makes a complete sepera- 
tion from all carnality, is no more popular to- 
day, than it was in the beginning. This was 
the issue in the M. E. Church more than 
thirty years ago resulting in the foundation of 
the Free Methodist church. Other things 
-came in which greatly enlarged Satan's army, 
so that on almost every occasion there was 
war. This continued with increasing force 
until the powers of darkness were in the as- 
cendency, resulting in the expulsion of some 
of the best the old Genesee Conference had. 
This occured in 1858. In one of Dickens' 
works, I think it is, this statement is made: 
"The first settlers of England were what are 
now, the Welsh that occupy Wales. They 
were at war with the Scots and Picts. Before 
this they had been harrassed for along time by 
the Romans. Now the Saxon comes in and 
makes war upon them, and then takes pos- 
session of the country, forcing the Brittons 
back to the mountains of Wales ; so, ever 
since the Saxon have been masters of Great 
Britton, Scotland and Ireland." 

This bit of history clearly illustrates the con- 
dition of our mother church. As the Brittons 
were driven to Wales, so Christ and His fol- 
lowers have been driven out by the new order 
of things. Perhaps a streak of salvation 



A NECESSITY. Ill 

might be sandwiched in, in some country 
church ; or in a classroom far away from pub- 
lic gaze, where if the ancient power and glory 
should come in, no one would be hart. But 
this order of things that the ancient power 
and glory should have no more place in this 
church, was decreed by many in authority 
nearly thirty years since, which my ears heard, 
and my eyes have seen performed in the ex- 
pulsion of the good and the true from that 
body. During this war I became acquainted 
and was for a time quite intimate with Rev. 
John Robie, then Editor of the Buffalo Advo- 
€ats, the organ of what was then known as 
"The Regency Party." On one occasion visit- 
ing this Brother quite a number of ministers 
from this conference met in his office to do 
what they considered very important business, 
and that was to strengthen each other's hands 
in the horrid work already begun, in expelling 
every one in that conference that endorsed B. 
T. Roberts, Styles, and all that class that did 
not stand by the new order of things. This I 
lived to see accomplished, to the very letter, 
both in the ministry and with the laity. They 
not only expelled, but they bought up and re- 
moved all so far as they had the ability, that 
believed in the life and power of salvation, or 
"Methodism," as she w-as in the early days of 



112 FKEE METHODISM 

her espousals to Christ, when the glory cloud 
was everywhere manifest. This work was not 
confined to the Genesee Conference, of making 
war on those that were true to their vows to 
Christ and to this branch of His church, but 
extended to other parts. Other Conferences 
are guilty of proscription, past, and present. 
That the forces which brought Methodism into 
existence, that gave to the world the grandest 
model ever planned for the salvation of the 
lost, should be forced to abandon its birth- 
place, is strange indeed. "Tell it not in Gath, 
publish it not in the streets of Askelon ! 

In this expulsion the best blood of the church 
was forced out; and by the spiritual law of 
gravitation they came together and formed a 
conglomerate, which they named, "The Free 
Methodist church." It has been called "The 
Free Methodist life boat." 

The organization took place in perilous times. 
Many societies were being engulfed by formal- 
ism, and death. This life-boat was a timely 
aid to rescue the perishing. Thousands will 
thank God to all eternity for their salvation 
through this instrumentality. The casual ob- 
server might have entertained grave doubts in 
her ability to navigate the stormy sea of life, 
and cope with other crafts claiming to be en- 
gaged in the life saving service, but present- 



A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 113 

ing sails of a decidedly different character ; 
but no where drawing lire from the enemy, but 
worldly commendation. It is true, her exter- 
nal appearance did not, and does not, give to 
those that merely gaze upon the outer appear- 
ance, much to hope for. 

When the Erricson Monitor steamed up 
Hampton Roads, rebels laughed and our fleet 
were in great alarm, expecting complete de- 
struction by the iron-clad Merrimac. She had 
already destroyed several ships. Now, what 
the rebels called the Yankee cheese box puts 
in her appearance just in time to save the bal- 
ance of the fleet from utter destruction. The 
Monitor had a power out of sight that deceived 
those that merely saw the outside. This is 
true of our beloved church. When first 
launched, she was called a Cheese box — a 
Dug-out — an old Scow — a Theatre, and manjr 
other names she received. Nevertheless, where- 
ever this life-boat touched in former days she 
took passengers aboard, some from the hedges, 
lanes, by-ways, the poor, the lame, the halt, 
the blind, and many from other churches; and 
with former equipments, rebels are taken upon 
all seas for King Emanuel — even to-day. 

It is an acknowledged fact, past and present, 
that the F. M. church has been of untold value 
to all other evangelical bodies, and to Chris- 



114 A PECTTLIAPv PEOPLE. 

tianity in particular — especially in the United 
States. It lias caused them to consider in |a 
a new light the claims that God had upon His 
people, that holiness of heart and life was 
binding upon all. I have heard some of the 
most eminent for piety and usefulness in other 
churches say that above stated; and that they 
hoped the free church would continue to suc- 
ceed, because of the great value she had been 
to them. 

Her position as standard-bearer in all the 
■ moral reforms of the day, gives her a promi- 
nent position. Our schools, papers, periodi- 
cals, are all on that line. Other church papers 
liave often used our editorials, but did not al- 
ways give due credit. 

We are under great obligation to the Al- 
mighty, for the schools that have been raised 
up to us ; where the young may be educated 
in a pure atmosphere, and from these schools 
many are going out to bless the world with a 
richer experience ; a life more completely con- 
secrated, educated, mentally, morally, socially, 
and physically. In the moral and social rank, 
we claim the pre-eminence for our schools and 
for our literature. There was, and there is, 
and there will continue to be, a need, for a 
people to do just this kind of work; and while 
we continue humble and obedient, God will 



A PECULIAE PEOPLE. 115 

use ns to this end. "But if we forsake Him, 
He will forsake us." If we turn aside to other 
Gods, He will cast us forth as a branch that 
is withered, and we shall be like other nations. 
One of the most wide spread evils of tlie day, 
filthy in all its make up, disgusting in the ex- 
treme to a clean, well-bred person, robbing 
men of their manhood, and of their mental and 
physical powers, is tobacco. Forty years ago 
it was considered ungentlemanly to smoke in 
the presence of ladies, but now, in almost 
every mode of travel, on the street, in the 
stores, and in nearly all public places, ladies 
and all are insulted by the filthy fumes of the 
pipe or cigar, compounded with decayed teeth, 
and the deadly Upas of the saloon, forming a 
drug that produces mental derangement, in- 
sanity, crime, pauperism, poverty and shortens 
the life of its victims. The use of tobacco is a 
bar to membership in the F. M. C. In this, 
she stands supremely above all other churches. 
She is doing a glorious work in making war 
on tobacco, and exposing its effects on the 
human system. It has been said that some of 
our preachers were raised up to make tobacco 
a specialty, as it occupied a corner in every 
sermon regardless of the text. Well, suppose 
that is true, is it not a fact that all reformers 
dwell on the thing that needs reforming ? Per- 



116 FREE METHODISM 

haps this class of preachers are better acquaint- 
ed with this evil in its length and breadth, and 
know by a blessed experience the source of 
deliverance from the habit, and all lcnging 
after the same. Such preaching is worth a 
great deal more than that from those who 
never knew by experience the power of the 
habit, and the virtue of the blood that cleans- 
eth from all sin, and all desire for the unclean. 

Fashion brings its devotees into servile 
compliance with its most debasing demands. 
Those that wear this yoke, are lost, to that 
which makes humanity lovely, good and 
beautiful. A remark so commonly male, 
"that you might as well be out of the world as 
out of fashion," is true of this class. 

In adhering to this tyrant, millions of wo- 
men and men have been ruined for life. Those 
that have labored to live so as to equal or go 
beyond certain others in matters of equipage, 
have been compelled to abandon, in order to 
meet fashion's demands, the honest mode of 
life, and resort to fraud and speculation to 
obtain what their souls lusted after. 

Our jails, and portions of Canada, are largely 
made up of that class. The pressure brought 
upon men to supply the wife and daughters 
with fashion's demands, have driven them to 
the lodge, the gambling hell, the brothel — and 



A NECESSITY. 117 

the worst of all — the saloon ! What can be 
more appalling than a lady martyred to fashion? 
from head to foot out of shape — distorted — 
compressed — pulled out — cut off in trying to 
fit the fashion plate. Alas ! Alas ! We are 
imitative beings In this the poor ape the 
rich so far as they are able. If they cannot 
wear the glittering gems of great value, they 
will decorate themselves with shoddy finery. 
Is it not time to call a halt to this wicked, un- 
godly mode of life ? For any man or woman 
to come out from this style of things, and en- 
dorse plainness in dress, and righteousness all 
the way through by precept and example, re- 
quires a holy heart, filled with love divine. 
And this manner of life pays bountifully in 
this present world, and will in the world to 
come, even life everlasting. During the past 
fifty years I have noticed those that the Lord 
blessed the most, and were the most useful in 
the church and world around them, were that 
class that conscientiously carried out in their 
lives the Apostolic plan already referred to. 

There is much connected with fashionable 
attire that is supremely wicked. First, the 
cost of the material; secondly, precious time 
spent in Lts making; thirdly, the wearing of 
such is in violation of the word of the Lord. 1 
Peter, 3,3,4. The only organized opposition to 



118 FREE METHODISM 

this mode of life is the Free Methodist church. 
She has stood like a beacon light for nearly 
thirty years, warning men and women of their 
imminent danger. 

Holiness .unto the Lord— is the key to the 
arch that spans the temple of the living God. 
It is that which gives symmetry to life and 
character, a state that we enter into when the 
soul has been swept and garnished by the Holy 
Ghost and the blood. ot the Lamb, which 
greatly enlarges our views of Christ and His 
powers to save, that brings perpetual sunshine 
to the soul, that makes earth a paradise, that 
causes flowers to bloom in the desert, and the 
water of life to spring from the flinty rock, and 
the heart of the needy to rejoice with joy that 
is unspeakable and full of glory. It is food to 
the hungry, drink to the thirsty, and comfort 
to the weary and heavy laden. It is full of 
hope; big with immortality. Over this bound- 
less plain comes the odor of Eden, fresh from 
the throne of God. This holiness is a state, 
an experience, ''where only Christ is heard to 
speak, where Jesus reigns alone." 

It does not reflect upon the character of 
others in their absence. It is long suffering, 
it behaveth not itself unseemly, is not pro- 
voked, is not puffed up, thinketh no evil, 
bears the burdens and responsibilities of life 



A NECESSITY. 119 

meekly, rejoiceth in the truth, believeth all 

that God hath said. This grace never faileth, 
but will shine brighter, clearer to all eternity. 
You may have the tongues of men and angels* 
and lack this experience, you are nothing but 
a sinner in the sight of God. 

A church armed with this power is more 
than a match for all the powers of darkness. 
The first church under the gospel dispensation 
were poor, uneducated men and women. They 
tarried at Jerusalem until they were baptized 
with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and witht 
this blessing upon them the powers of dark- 
ness fled in dismay. Nothing could stand be- 
fore them. It was said, i% ye shall receive 
power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon 
you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in 
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, 
and unto the uttermost part of the earth." 
This was literally true. Ancient systems of 
idolatry which had grown gray with age, melted 
away like the mist at noon-day as God's army 
advanced, and over every battle-field the blood- 
stained banner of King Emanuel was unfurled. 
Deserts were made to blossom as the rose, and 
w r oods, and fields, and rocks, and rills, all 
seemed to offer the tribute of praise and thanks- 
giving for the wonderful display of God's 
power in the salvation of the nations round 



120 FREE METHODISM 

about them. This power is forever the same, 
and when the church meet the conditions, it 
comes as on the day of Pentecost, with visible 
manifestations of His presence and power to 
save, " Jesus Christ the same yerterday, to- 
day and forever." 

I believe thai the Free Methodist church was 
born of the Spirit. God owns her as a 
legitimate child. In every place where she 
meets the requirements, times of refreshing, 
and the salvation of souls are reported. No 
church, in my opinion, so fully meet the con- 
ditions on which the precious promises are 
made. She is an important Unit in the family 
of churches. May she ever reflect a certain 
light, live in the experience of perfect love, be 
true to all the vows that she has made to God, 
constantly making war upon the enemies works 
until every rebel flag shall trail in the dust, 
and Jesus Christ crowned Lord of all. Amen. 



DREAMS AND PRESENTIMENTS. 121 



IX. 

Dreams and Presentiments. 

"Man is fearfully, and wonderfully made," 
with capabilities as boundless as eternity. This 
is true so far as our moral and intellectual make 
up is concerned. We may grow in grace, and 
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
while this life shall last, and forever, in the 
life that is to come. Progression is the law of 
our being. God, who made us, has his own 
peculiar way of imparting knowledge to his 
children, or the creatures which he hath made. 

In our public school system we have the 
primary, and the higher grades. It is so in the 
school of Christ ; there is the primary, and the 
higher grades of instruction. The primary 
grade consists in what we learn from the schools, 
books, and papers. The higher grade is con- 
fined to the teaching of the Holy Ghost. Too 
many are satisfied with the primary grade, 
and treat insultingly the Holy Ghost. But 
where He is received with loving embrace, and 
allowed to have his own way, He will lead us 
into all truth. 



122 DREAMS AND 

Preconceived notions gathered from theo- 
logical schools, very much interfere at times 
with our receiving and being instructed by the 
Holy Ghost. Science has done much to facili- 
tate culture. News gathered from all lands, 
comes to us with lightning speed. The im- 
provements of to-day annihilate time, and 
bridge over vast distances. In the evening we 
receive the doings of the morning in continents 
far away. But with all the improvements in 
science and art, it cannot compete with the 
Holy Ghost, 

The great mistake of to-day, is substituting 
the arts, and sciences, and the wonderful dis- 
coveries made in Biblical literature, for the 
Holy Ghost and its teachings. There is nothing 
that can take its place. We can learn more, 
comprehend more, experience more about the 
things pertaining to our spiritual and eternal 
well-being in a moment of time, when under the 
direct inspiration of the Holy Ghost, than can 
be gained in all coming time from every other 
source. 

One pentecostal flash of the Holy Ghost on 
a consecrated heart, and mind, brings intelli- 
gence that all the culture of the day cannot 
fathom, nor in any way comprehend. Some 
people are afraid of this power, and being led 
of the spirit, because individuals have been 



PRESENTIMENTS. 123 

mistaken, and were under a wrong spirit when 
they thought that they were really under the 
influence of Christ. It is true, we may be- 
moved by a wrong spirit, our intellectual ma- 
chinery is very sensitive to the touch of a good r 
or a wrong impression. 

How shall we know when an impression 
comes upon us, from w T hence it comes ? There- 
are certain rules laid down in God's blessed 
book, which if we are careful to observe, we 
shall not go astray: "It will be a lamp to our 
feet, and a light unto our path." God has not 
set us to navigating the broad ocean of life 
without chart, or compass. Thank God, we 
have a chart, and the Holy Ghost to make it 
plain ; so plain, that the wayfaring man, 
though a fool, shall not err therein. The im- 
pression that comes upon us, if it leads us to 
exalt Christ, it's all right. 

The soul's pressure that comes on all at times, 
may be from either the following causes. Con- 
demnation, conviction of sin, or an advanced 
state in Christian life ; temptation, or a bur- 
den for souls. 

1 — If it be a burden of sin, the spirit will di- 
rect us to the sin for which we should repent. 

2 — If it be temptation of the devil— while he 
will accuse us of something wrong, he will be 
very indefinite in regard to what the thing is* 



124 DREAMS AKD 

that we have done or have not done that was 
wrong. "He is the accurser of the brethren." 

3 — If the pressure that comes upon us is for 
an advanced state in holiness, how our hearts 
will cry out after God, the living God ! It will 
be thus expressed — u My heart-strings groan 
with deep complaint, my heart lies panting, 
Lord for thee ; and every limb, and every 
joint, stretches for perfect purity." 

While the spirit of God comes upon all men, 
for he said, that, it should come to pass in the 
last days, "I will pour out of my spirit upon 
all flesh ; and one notable result would be, 
Dreams and Visions." Not all dreams are 
chargeable to the Holy Spirit. The mind of 
man is supposed to be always in operation, 
though not under the control of our judgment, 
or will, when the body is asleep. God does 
make impressions upon our minds in our sleep- 
ing state, of things that are coming to pass, 
with the person thus impressed. We are some- 
times conscious of the mind's operations when 
in deep sleep ; when the spirit of the Lord may 
not have anything to do with it. It would 
seem that God often warns poor sinners of 
their danger by dreams ; this being the only 
way seemingly, when the Holy Spirit can find 
way to their heart ; as then, they are quiet ; 
the cares of life are for a moment hushed into 



PRESENTIMENTS. 125 

silence. The great difficulty in bringing sin- 
ners to Christ, is their constant stretch after the 
amusements, pleasures, and the riches of the* 
world. So God, in his infinite love and mercy, 
comes in this way to the sinner, to warn him 
of his danger, and the sleeping state being the 
most favorable, reveals the on-coming storm. 

Folger, Secretary of State, had a short time 
before he died, one of those alarming dreams. 
Political life had worn upon him so that he 
thought retirement from business, and a trip to 
the Bermudas necessary in order to regain 
health and strength. The awful scene pre- 
sented to him in the dream completely changed 
his mind so that he gave up the contemplated 
trip. The dream as related by his near friends 
is as follows: "The steamship on which the 
party had taken passage was sailing along 
serenely; the sea was as smooth as glass, and 
everybody was happy, when suddenly a great 
dark cloud was observed on the forward hori- 
zon moving rapidly toward the vessel, accom- 
panied by an incessant and terrific rumbling. 
The heavy cloud soon reached the ill-fated 
craft, overspreading the sea with the darkness 
of Egypt, great sheets of lurid flame shot forth 
in all directions ; the vessel tossed and quiv- 
ered, and the sea was lashed in mountainous 
billows. The Secretary saw the forms of his 



126 DREAMS AND 

party and the crew enveloped in fire, playing 
■through, the angry elements. Suddenly, he 
stood alone on the deck, with the vessel sink- 
ing beneath him into a sea of fire, and he awoke 
trembling like an aspen, and covered with 
cold beads of perspiration, to find that it was 
a dream." A short time after this, he passed 
suddenly into eternity, and for aught we know, 
just as he had lived, without Christ, and hope 
for the life that is to come. 

Job had knowledge of the revelations of 
dreams from God, and that they were for di- 
vine instruction. He said, "When I say, my 
bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my 
-complaint ; then thou scarest me w T ith dreams, 
and terrified me through visions." Nebuchad- 
nezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit 
was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 
I suppose that the King was so given up to 
wine, women, and debauchery, the only time 
that God could make an impression upon the 
wicked ruler, was when deep sleep was upon 
him. God warned Abimelech in a dream, not 
to come near to Sarai, "Abraham's wife assur- 
ing him if he did, he was a dead man." 

" Jacob dreamed, and behold a ladder set 
upon the earth, and the top of it reached to 
heaven ; and, behold, the angels of God ascend- 
ing and descending on it" 



PKESEiSTIMEXTS. 127 

This dream was given to Jacob, doubtless to 
point out to him the intercourse that exists 
between heaven and earth, and the connection 
of both worlds by means of angelic ministry. 

This doctrine is clearly taught in the old and 
new testameht. "Are they not all ministering 
spirits, sent forth to minister for them w T ho 
shall be heirs of salvation?" It was probably 
a type of Christ, in w r hom both worlds meet, 
and in whom the divine and human nature are 
united. 

The ladder was set up on earth, and the top 
of it reached to heaven ; for God was mani- 
fested in the flesh, and in him dwelt all the 
fulness of the Godhead bodily. Jesus Christ 
himself, took this view of the dream. He said 
to Nathaniel, "Hereafter ye shall see the 
heaven opened, and the angels of God ascend- 
ing and descending on the Son of Man. 

The Almighty appeared to Abraham in 
•dreams, gave him instruction, and very en- 
couraging promises ; assuring him of bound- 
less prosperity, to him and his seed, w T hich 
should be as numerous as the sand of the sea, 
iorever and ever, which he believed, and re- 
ceived the honor which comes only from God. 
And this honor which he received for believing 
what God said to him in a dream, will pass 
down to the latest period of time. O, what 



128 DREAMS AND 

honor there is, in believing God, even life 
eternal. 

God warned Laban the Syrian, to take heed 
to what he said to Abraham, either good or 
bad. So the Lord takes care of His own. 
Joseph dreamed, and he told it to his breth- 
ren, and they hated him, yet the more, and he 
said unto them, hear ye the dream which I have 
dreamed. For behold we were binding sheaves 
in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose and also 
stood upright ; and behold, your sheaves stood 
round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 
And his brethren said unto him, Shalt thou in- 
deed reign over us; and shalt thou indeed 
have dominion over us; and they hated him 
yet the more for his dreams and for his words. 
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told 
it to his brethren, and said, Behold I have 
dreamed a dream more ; and, behold, the sun, 
and the moon, and the eleven stars, made obei- 
sance to me — and he told it to his father, and 
to his brethren, and his father rebuked him, 
and said unto him, What is this dream that 
thou hast dreamed ? Shall I, and thy mother, 
and thy brethren, indeed come to bow down 
ourselves to thee, to earth? The history of 
Joseph is one of the most interesting contained 
in the oracles of God. -It is replete with inter- 
esting matter, from beginning to end. I pre- 



PRESENTIMENTS. 129 

sume that Joseph knew the interpretation of 
his dreams when they were given. I think 
that with the dreams, came the interpretation 
also. When others dreamed, he knew what it 
meant. 

What an impressive dream was that of 
Pharoah, standing on the river's bank and gaz- 
ing intently on that beautiful stream, when lo, 
he sees with wonder and amazement living 
objects emerging therefrom. They prove to be 
kine, fat-fleshed, and well-favored. And as he 
continued to gaze and wonder, other sights did 
appear more wonderful than the former scenes, 
Other kine came up from the river very lean* 
and ill-favored, and they devoured the fat and 
well-favored, and as this scene passed he 
awoke. God sent an angel to warn Joseph in 
a dream to go down to Egypt and stay there- 
until He, the Lord, should send them word to* 
return, until the danger of Herod had passed. 
Pilate's wife warned Pilate to have nothing to^ 
do in condemning Christ, because she had suf- 
fered much in a dream because of Him this 1 
day ! I suppose that the impression came 
upon her with such force and with such clear- 
ness that Jesus Christ, that was then before 
the Jewish court, was the true Messiah, the 
Lord of life and glory, He that came to make 
an atonement for the sin of the world, and 



130 DREAMS AND 

this was doubtless in tier wakeful moments. I 
suppose it is what would be called a present- 
iment. An intuition, a knowledge of facts that 
will occur, or that are now transpiring. It 
might be called a wakeful dream, or an inspira- 
tion. Just as the Almighty has in the past, 
and does now, and will to all eternity make 
known His will to the sons of men. And these 
divine impressions, whether they come in our 
•wakeful moments, or when deep sleep is upon 
us., w T ill always be in harmony with a thus 
saith the Lord. 

Our intellectual machinery is so wonderfully 
made up with receptive powers so vast that 
God the Holy Ghost coming upon us, can, 
when it is for his glory, impart to us more in a 
moment of time, than we could receive from 
all other sources combined. 

I remember how interested I was when 
passing the United States Mint to see them 
stamping the stars and spread eagle on the 
gold coin. It took a tremendous power to do 
it. So wdien the Almighty puts the stamp 
•of divinity on us, knowledge comes with power 
and clearness, lasting as time. I can never 
forget the impression that came on me when a 
lad about fifteen years of age. I was distant 
from home about one hundred miles. Had 
been absent some four weeks. All were well 



PRESENTIMENTS. 131 

when I left. I had a brother that 1 loved very 
much, away from home at this time, I visited 
him just before I left. This impression came 
on me as sudden as a flash of light, and with it 
this thought. u There is trouble at home and 
I must return as quick as possible." The im- 
pression was that some of the dear ones were 
very sick and that my presence was greatly 
needed. My feelings were intense, and my 
mind like the needle that points always to the 
pole, pointed steadily toward home as the 
place where I should be. My employer did 
not want me to leave him and tried to dis- 
courage me from yielding to my feelings. I 
could not eat, nor sleep much. The impression 
that was on me was painful and for two days 
I suffered this intense agony before I got start- 
ed for home. The only way of traveling in 
those days was by stage, or the two mile per 
hour on the Erie canal, or go on foot. I took 
each of these modes of conveyance, and after 
about thirty-six hours travel, I reached home 
to find a house of deep mourning. My dear 
brother that I loved so tenderlv was dead, and 
the time for his funeral had just arrived. The 
people were there for the funeral service. 
They had written to me but it had not reached 
me. I knew nothing of my brother's sickness 
and death until I was within one mile of home. 



132 DKEAlrfS AND 

From whence came this impression that there 
was trouble at home, and that I must hasten 
to their assistance? I know that some enter- 
tain peculiar notions about the relation 
that mind sustains to mind, and the strong 
sympathy that exists between such minds, 
and the peculiar, invisible, and undefinable 
way such minds have of communing with each 
other. Whatever there may be in the above 
philosophy, I know not. But the impression 
that came to me on the above occasion I be- 
lieve was from the Lord. During my brother's 
sickness he often called for me and would say, 
"Has not Zenas come yet ?" At this time I was 
not a Christian, but a sinner, well rounded out. 
The promise made, "That in the last days 
God would pour out of His spirit upon all flesh" 
is true. I think that it came upon me at that 
time. Years after this occurrence, I had an- 
other experience, quite similar to the one just 
related. I was doing business for M. Tilden 
& Co., New Lebanon, 1ST. Y. I had a wife and 
one child at this time, and was living in Ca- 
naan, ]S T . Y. I had gone into the western part 
of the state expecting to be gone from home 
some six weeks. After an absence of about 
two weeks, an impression, or a presentiment, 
came on me with such force that I could not 
work, nor eat, nor sleep, and with this impres- 



PRESENTIMENTS. 133 

sion, came the thought that, wife, or my first 
born son was very sick. I had received a let- 
ter from my wife only the day before, stating 
that they were well and did not expect me 
home for at least six weeks. This impression 
came on me about four o'clock in the after- 
noon. My feelings were so intense, that I ar- 
ranged my affairs, took the stage early the 
next morning, rode fifteen miles, and took the 
express train for Albany, where I remained 
all night, or the rest of the night, as we did 
not reach there until eleven o'clock. That 
was a night of intense anxiety, and mental 
suffering, for it seemed to me that my wife or 
child was very sick, nigh unto death. Imagine 
my feelings as 1 stepped from the cars on ar- 
riving at Canaan four corners, when one of my 
neighbors approached me with this question, 
?*Mr. Osborne, is your boy alive?" The same 
hour of the day when the impression came on 
me, my dear wife was washing, she dipped out a 
pail of scalding water from the boiler, set it 
down, went out to hang out some clothes. 
My little boy, Henry Z., went up to the pail, 
pulled up his dress, and put his foot in this 
pail of scalding hot water. He screamed. 
His mother rushed into the house, took the 
boy from the pail ; but oh, what a sight ! The 
dear child's flesh drops off, in places, near to 



134 DREAMS AND 

the bone. The boy went into spasms. The 
physician had doubts of his recovery. This 
was an anxious time for my dear companion ; 
she wrote me right away, but I had not received 
her message, but the Almighty had telephoned 
me most emphatically, and I obeyed the sum- 
mons, and found the impression was not a delu- 
sion, but a divine impression. After my dear 
child had so far recovered as to be considered out 
of danger, I returned to my field of labor in wes- 
tern "N. Y. Was it not the Lord that made known 
to me the serious sickness at home, and inspired 
my heart to hasten to the suffering family ? And 
was it not kind in the blessed Lord, to help in 
such a time of need ? Truly, God is good, in 
all His w r orks and ways ; and His loving care is 
graciously manifested to all the creatures that 
He hath made. How much of earth's storm 
and tempest we might avoid, if we would only 
keep our eyes and our ears open to see and 
hear what God would have us see and hear. 
During my pastorate at Seneca Falls, N. Y., 
I not only preached at Seneca Falls, but at 
Auburn, Owosco and Niles, N. Y. Every other 
week I would preach at Owosco and Niles on 
the Lord's day, and on my way back to Seneca 
Falls, I would stop at Auburn and preach 
the word of life, on Monday evening at sister 
Osborne's; and this was my home when at 



PRESENTIMENTS. J 35 

Auburn. On the occasiofl of which I now 

speak, I was requested to stop, and take tea at 
another place, where I had never been before. 
The family where I was to stop was made np 
of three persons, father, daughter, and an 
aunt of the daughter. Father and sister-in- 
law were perhaps fifty years of a#e. The 
daughter I should judge, twenty-live years of 
age, and a member of the M. E. Church in that 
place. I had never met wirh an} 7 of this fam- 
ily prior to this meeting, except this young 
lady, and her, only one week before, and that 
at a Quarterly meeting. I called at this place 
according to agreement to take tea, and spend 
a couple of hours before service. It was in 
mid-winter. I entered the house, the young 
lady met me very politely, took my hat and 
overcoat, and I took a seat. This was a well- 
to-do family ; they had an abundance of this 
world's goods. The house was large, and well 
furnished. I had not been in the house five 
minutes, before a strange impression came on 
me, bewildering, sickening, and with it, came 
this thought, "unclean devils, unclean devils." 
It seemed to me that I should die, if I did not 
, leave that house. I called for my hat and coat, 
and left. This woman followed me for several 
weeks, and always when she came near me, the 
same impression would come over me, unclean. 



136 DREAMS AND 

devils. Suffice to say, she was a bad woman. 
She had been too intimate with a married man, 
who was a class-leader in one of the churches. 
Was she actuated by the same spirit that 
those women were that followed Paul and Silas 
around and declared that they were the real 
servants of God ; and is it not a fact, that the 
quickest way to destroy the work of God in 
any place, is to have doubtful characters, pro- 
fessedly, embrace it? and herald abroad the 
praises of the servants of God ? And these per- 
sons being so well understood, their lives and 
their character so well pronounced as to be- 
come a stench in the nostrils of the communi- 
ty, and a tremendous bar to the progress of 
Christianity in every community where such 
-exists. I am always troubled when some peo- 
ple endorse me, and feel like saying, The Lord 
have mercy on me now ! God gave me great 
prosperity on this big charge, a revival pre- 
vailed through the two years. More than one 
hundred professed conversion at Seneca Falls, 
besides many were converted at the other 
points. At Seneca Falls, at one time during 
our stay there, souls were converted in every 
means of grace for several months, more 
than one hundred professed to be sanctified 
wholly. Some of the richest displays of God's 
saving power that I ever saw, was at points on 



PRESENTIMENTS. 137 

this field of labor. Many that were poor, and 
wretched slaves to intemperance and licen- 
tiousness, were washed, and made clean dur- 
ing our stay here, gems were gathered in, that 
will deck the Saviour's Crown forever and ever. 
More than twenty years have come and gone 
•since we left that field of suffering, cross-bear- 
ing, and victory, and yet we would not have 
the time we spent there blotted out of life's 
work for any amount of earth's riches ; and I 
want to record right here, while this subject is 
before us, praise and thanksgiving to my 
heavenly Father, for blessing us, and opening 
our eyes to see danger, and grace to avoid it, 
especially in the case referred to at "A" — I 
have no doubt, but that the devil in someway, 
wanted to use that wicked woman to destroy 
the work of God on that big charge. 

Did not Bramweil have knowledge given to 
him to see the deception of the man that pro- 
fessed he wanted help for God's cause, when 
Bramweil was led to see, it was a bastard child, 
help was sought for ? 

The church has suffered much in the past by 
the deception of wicked men and women which 
might have been different, had the church been 
baptized with the Holy Ghost as it was her 
privilege to be. Peter saw at once the fraud 
practiced by Ananias and Sapphira and justly 



138 DREAMS AND 

rebuked them. And what a blessing it would 
be to the church and the world, if the minis- 
try, and laity, had the anointing — the eye 
salve of the Holy Ghost. I have been perfect- 
ly surprised at the success that these saintly 
appearing frauds have had in playing their 
tricks upon credulous, godly people. The real 
saint, the wholly sanctilied, the pure in hearty 
have the eye salve daily applied ; Yea, they 
carry with them, a bank note detective ; their 
coin, is weighed and measured at sight. Per- 
haps all clearly saved people have not so clear 
a conception of character, and are not able to 
judge so readily, of their merit, or demerit as 
others. However that may be, I believe that 
all clearly saved people, have remarkable good 
judgment in regard to character as well as in 
other matters. 

But to return to the theme before us, Dreams, 
Presentiments-Dreams come, when sleep is up- 
on us, Presentiments come upon us in our wake- 
ful moments ; and both may be of the Lord as 
already shown, though not always. It is wise, 
however, to try the spirits, and hold fast to 
that which is good. I have had mapped out 
to me in my dreams, and I think by the spirit 
of the Lord, fields of labor that I afterwards 
occupied, as clear as a sunbeam ; and the pecu- 
liar phases of my field of labor, and the pecu- 



PRESENTIMENTS. 139 

liar characters of the new field, as though 
written out by the hand of inspiration. I will 
give but one or two incidents. Three months 
prior to my being stationed at Oswego, N". Y.^ 
I found myself in my dream at Oswego, on my 
way home from conference, to look over the 
situation, and arrange for moving on. I met a 
few, very poor saints, discouraged, and ready 
to give up and die out. I was told in my 
dream that I had better look at Brother L. PL 
R's. house, perhaps it would suit me. At this 
time Brother Robinson was preacher in charge 
at Oswego, and what was still more strange 
about this dream, this was his first year at 
Oswego, and some three months before con.^ 
ference. I was very much concerned aboul 
a four gallon jug that I had full of very 
rich, sweet milk. I was anxious to have it 
kept sweet. A brother pointed out to me a 
living stream that run near by, and said that 
I could put my jug of milk in that stream and 
it would keep. Conference sent me to Oswego 
that fall, and every step that I took in my 
dream came literally to pass, looking at the 
former preacher's house, and all, except my jug 
of milk. I soon discoverd what my milk meant* 
The saints at that place had been very much 
soured up over the conduct of some laborers 
that they had placed great confidence in, so 



140 DEEAMS AND 

that the smut covered them deeply. I found 
my big jug of sweet milk just what they 
needed. The pure unadulterated gospel, was 
to them the sincere milk of the word. They 
received it gladly and grew thereby. In many 
of the fields of labor that I have occupied, I 
have previously occupied in dreams when sleep 
was upon me. A short time before, being sta- 
tioned at Bingham ton, God, by His holy Spirit 
when deep sleep w^as upon me, printed upon 
memory's tablet, that beautiful Parlor City; 
surrounded by those lovely hills, covered with 
green foliage ; and those beautiful streams, 
clear as crystal, reflecting the sunlight of 
heaven ; reminding one of that ^stream that 
makes glad the City of our God." I saw Court 
street as clear as day ; our church and parson- 
age ; I also saw our society. At that time they 
were having a little that was unpleasant, a 
church trial, I saw the division of feeling, one 
party stood a little way off from the other, 
shaking their fists at the other party, but as 
soon as I approached them, they came to- 
gether and all was lovely. 



HEALING FAITH. 141 



X. 

Healing FaitiI 

Much, has been said and written on the sub- 
ject of healing faith. God has said much on 
that subject for our benefit. "The prayer of 
faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall 
raise him up." Many scriptures might be in- 
troduced bearing upon this subject ; but the 
statement above so clear, and emphatic, will 
suffice. Genuine faith is begotten of the spirit. 
It is not born of simple desire. Here a great 
many good people have made great mistakes,- 
they have had great desires for those that were 
sick, that they should recover — they have 
prayed to this end, and have gone so far as to 
make statements very positive that they Jcnew 
they would recover, because God had told 
them so, when the facts were very clear — their 
supposed faith was nothing but desire. This 
has proved true in a great many cases, the sub- 
ject of prayer passing into eternity soon after 
these positive statements were made. If they 
had had genuine faith, the sick would have re- 



142 HEALING FAITH. 

covered. In no case, have we ever discovered 
the Almighty arrayed against Himself, but in 
every operation we find it in exact harmony 
with a "thus saith the Lord." 

Take the case of President Garfield. The 
nation prayed for his recovery. Many said — 
i 'He will recover," but he died. Why did he 
not recover % good people prayed for him — and 
thought — and said that he would be spared to 
the nation. To this I answer, — The prayer 
offered for him, teas not inspired by the Holy 
Ghost; if it had been, God would have raised 
Mm up. The word of the Lord is— "The 
prayer of faith shall save the sick." Doubt- 
less, the inspiration of this class was purely 
carnal. 

The word of the Lord is, "That if two of 
you shall agree on earth as touching any thing 
that they shall ask, it shall be done for them 
of my Father which is in Heaven." Now, a 
great many were united in praying for the 
President, and they were good people ; but 
they put in an if in every prayer ; and that if, 
in every case sums up a tremendous doubt, 
which reveals as clear as day, the lack of that 
faith, begotten of the "Spirit." which brings 
health immediately to its possesor. Faith be- 
gotten of the spirit is very positive : it amounts 
to a divine assurance — and utters forth its tri- 



HEALING FAITH. 143 

umpiiant voice, "lb shall be done"— and it is 
done. This kind, lias no ifs in it. It makes 
its possessor bold to move on to the aid of the 
sick and suffering ; and has an intuitive per- 
ception, that the "power of the Lord is present 
to heal." Good-will was, doubtless, the great 
incentive in the President's case. The script- 
ures very clearly indicate that the power of 
the Lord is not always present to heal ; like- 
wise experience by those that have been healed 
by faith, and have at times had faith that has 
brought health immediately to the bodies of 
others, are not always thus blessed. St. Paul, 
left his co-laborer, TROPHIMUS, sick at Mile- 
tus, which he would not have done, had he 
been in possession of that faith, which so won- 
derfully characterized his labors on other occa- 
sions. 

William Bramwell, a man of mighty faith 
in the power of God to heal, had prayed for a 
certain person and God had raised them up in 
answer to his prayers on several occasions, but 
the last time that he was called upon to pray 
for this person, he could not, and said they 
must die, or that in substance. 

I praise God, that I was ever put in posses- 
sion of that faith, which brought health to my 
body, when sick, and suffering. When sta- 
tioned at Utica, I was taken one Sabbath even- 



144 HEALING FAITH. 

ing while preaching, with the dysentery. I 
was very sick until Friday. I had quite fre- 
quent bloody evacuations, with tenesmus, of a 
very severe character. My dear companion 
was very much alarmed in regard to my very 
dangerous symptoms, and thought she had 
better go for the doctor. I felt all through 
me — I want no doctor but Jesus. In that di- 
rection I continued to look. My symptoms 
became more alarming. Anxiety on the part 
of my family increased. Conviction with me, 
that Jesus Christ was coming to check disease, 
and heal my body, seemed to grow more and 
more like a living reality. Friday morning 
dawned upon us, and to all appearances, I was 
rapidly yielding in my physical powers, to the 
destructive power of the fearful disease that 
was preying so rapidly upon my body. After 
much solicitation on the part of my very pre- 
cious wife, I consented to let her go after the 
doctor. A moment after she left the house, 
Jesus came — laid His hand upon me, and male 
me every whit whole : Bless His holy name ! 
The doctor did not come until Saturday. He 
left me two very small bottles of pills, and 
charged me not to go to church on the coming 
Sabbath. However, I went to church, preached 
twice at Utica, rode twelve miles and preached, 
making three sermons ; and with such a bless- 



HEALIKO FAITH. 145 

ing, it did seem to me that my soul would 
leave my body if God should let another drop 
of love on me. Growing out of this, I had an 
experience where I knew what the statement 
meant, "For I am sick of love" On another 
occasion after this, when sick, and much worn 
down by overwork, I went to the Murray 
campmeeting with a view of recuperation. I 
felt peculiarly led of the spirit to go. On ar- 
riving there I was powerfully tempted to leave 
the ground and return home. As it was about 
tea time I was invited to take tea with an old 
friend. After tea we had prayers. The Lord 
blessed me — I felt better, but did not get the 
healing pow r er on my body which I so much 
needed. I was very much helped all through 
the meeting. The day the meeting closed, 
Brother Roberts was tying up his tent, Sister 
Roberts asked me if I had received the help in 
my body that I needed — I said no ; but while 
in conversation with her, the blessing came 
with such force that disease and weakness 
oozed out from the very center of every bone 
in my body, and instantly I was covered with 
perspiration ; and for months after this, I felt 
as though I was made up of iron. I could 
preach, visit, sing, pray and study a good share 
of the hours out of every twenty-four. On a 
good many occasions, the blessed Jesus has 



146 HEALING FAITH. 

wonderfully blessed, and healed, both soul and 
body. God has at times, touched my heart, 
and given to me faith for others, and in answer 
to prayer, I have seen them raised up to 
health. 1 have not always had faith for my- 
self, nor for others. 

I have been sick, have suffered pain, but 
could not cause the heavens to bend, seemingly 
a single inch towards my deliverance — when at 
the same time my soul was blessed and happy 
in God. I will mention a few cases where God 
in answer to prayer healed them almost in- 
stantly. 

Twenty-five years ago our conference was 
held at Binghamton, N. Y. A number of 
preachers were kept at Sister Sparks. One of 
them was very sick, with an intense fever. We 
sat down to the table for our tea. The burden 
came on me for this suffering brother, I could 
not eat, and proposed that prayer should be 
offered for him. In a few moments the fever 
was checked, and a copious perspiration fol- 
lowed. The brother got up, took tea, went to 
church, exhorted after the sermon as though 
he had never been sick in all his life. 

At a camp meeting, a sister, one of my mem- 
bers, tenting with the Rose pilgrims as we had 
no tent on the ground, was taken sick with 
what seemed to be, Asiatic cholera. Her case 



HEALING- FAITH. 147 

was so alarming after a night' s suffering the Rose 
preacher came to me and said, Brother Osborne, 
that sister is so sick that you must have her 
taken off the ground as none can stay in the 
tent except those that wait on her. Instantly 
my faith took hold on God for her recovery. 
I did not know until that moment that she w r as 
sick. I went into the tent where she was. I 
saw she was very sick. I said to her, "you 
know that Jesus can make you well in a mo- 
ment." She answered, "Yes." I said, "don't 
you think that He wants to make you well 
now?" She replied, "I think He will if you 
ask him." In less than three minutes she was 
on her feet praising God with all her might. 
She dressed herself, ate her breakfast, went 
about her Master's business and enjoyed the 
meeting the rest of the time as though she had 
been on Pisgah from the beginning. 

Sister Francisco of Rome, was to all appear- 
ance, nearly used up with what a number of 
the great doctors called cancers. One in her 
throat, nearly choked her to death. Another 
on her upper gums. The first time that I vis- 
ited her, I said, "Sister, you know that Jesus 
Christ can make you well." She replied, "Yes, 
but the doctors all say that I must die." She 
became so bad off — the odor emanating from 
the cancer was so offensive, that it was with 



148 HEALING FAITH. 

difficulty that anybody could be in the house 
with her. I thought on several occasions as I 
went to visit her, this will be, in all proba- 
bility, the last time that I shall visit her until 
I go to preach her funeral sermon. The last 
time I called upon her before she was healed, 
she said to me, "Brother Osborne, the Lord 
Jesus is going to make me well.' 5 I replied — 
"Praise the Lord, it is just like him to do so." 
Two days after this the Lord touched her; the 
cancer left her throat — dropped off her gum — 
and she ran about that part of the city and re- 
ported what great things the Lord had done 
for her. Immediately she w r ent at hard work, 
and now, more than three years have passed 
away, and she is still strong and healthy. 

Another case at Rome, Sister Conrad had 
been very sick for about two months, with 
fever and other difficulties. Her right lung 
had lost its power of action ; her left arm had 
become paratyzed. The neighbors thought 
she could not live but a short time ; the doc- 
tors considered her case hopeless. Wife and 
I thought that we ought to visit her that Wed- 
nesday. On that day she looked more like a 
corpse, than a living being. We sang, and 
prayed — The Lord was present to heal. Such 
a display of Grod's power to heal I never saw 
before. First she was made clear in the bless- 



HEALING FAITH. 149 

ing of perfect love. This was glorious. After 
this, came a mighty wave of liquid love and 
fire — and health. When it touched the with- 
ered lung, how she did shout forth the praises 
of our God. This aroused the people in that 
region who came around to see what the mat- 
ter was. Then the power struck the palsied 
arm, and that began to move about to the tune 
of "Glory Hallelujah," and this she continued 
for more than two hours. She got up, dressed 
herself, went to supper, ate a hearty meal, 
and slept the soundest, the sweetest, that 
night, that she had done for a long while be- 
fore. She rose early the next morning, mend- 
ed her husband's pants, ate her breakfast, and 
moved about as well as ever. 

I must mention one more occasion when the 
good Lord wrought seemingly a miracle on my 
body, when very sick. I had just finished my 
fourth campmeeting. At the last one I had 
taken the worst cold I think that I ever had. 
A severe rain the first night of the meeting had 
moistened all the bedding in the tent where I 
made it my home, The bed that I occupied, 
was wet from head to foot ; I suppose that was 
the secret of my cold ; it covered me from head 
to foot — and all through my being. The next 
morning after my arrival at home, and during 
the morning's hour of prayer and worship, the 



150 HEALING FAITH. 

Lord touched the heart of my wife for me, and 
showers of blessings came down on my soul 
and body — and such an operation ! My cold 
broke up like the breaking up of a river after 
a severe winter. It oozed out from every pore. 
If I had been put through one of Dr. Strong's 
Turkish baths, the operatic n could not have 
been any more marvelous. 

The promises of God are for the comfort, and 
special benefit of the saints. The theory al- 
ready advanced of faith healing, we believe is 
the doctrine of the Bible. We might intro- 
duce many more important experiences bear- 
ing upon the correct theory of faith healing, 
but what we have already said, may be suffi- 
cient. 

There are other theories of faith healing, that 
contain some truth, and much error. For in- 
stance, the theory that in the atonement, a per- 
fect state oi health was secured for the body, 
the same as perfection for the soul. Some 
scriptures are introduced to substantiate this 
theory. 

The following are some of them. "The 
prayer of faith shall save the sick;" and, 
"Who, healeth all thy diseases;" "Ask and 
ye shall receive;" and many others are quoted 
to prove their doctrine. I cannot see that they 
prove the theory. The experience of the saints 



HEALING FAITH. 151 

in all ages prove the contrary. Job was a rep- 
resentative saint. God endorsed him as being 
correct according to His standard of righteous- 
ness. I maintain that sickness, is a part of 
God's plan for disciplinary purposes, just as 
much as changing seasons are necessary for the 
growth and development of vegetation. Sup- 
pose that perpetual sunshine was to cover the 
earth ; it would soon become sterile, barren 
and desolate. For the well-being of the human 
family, and the production of earth's blessings 
to sustain the same, the changing seasons, 
sunshine and cloud, stormy wind fulfilling His 
word, are all necessary. We are so made up, 
that a great strain of prosperity, very much 
endangers our remaining meek, and humble, 
like our divine Lord and Master. Perhaps one 
scripture wili be sufficient to prove this theory. 
ik Whom the Lord lovttJi, He chasteneth, and 
scour geth every son lohom He reeeivethP 
Sickness, is a tremendous scourge, and some 
people have a great deal more of that kind of 
discipline than they would have, if they w r ere 
more studious, and tried to learn the lesson 
God designed. 

The mind cure, falsely so called, is perhaps, 
the most subtile humbug of the day. While 
it contains some truth in small homeopathic 
doses, its heavy coating is profound deception,- 



152 IIEALHSTG FAITH. 

Its assumptions in the main, are false. With- 
out going into a thorough analysis of this sci- 
ence, falsely so called, we proceed to notice 
what little truth it contains. It is a well-known 
fact to the learned, that the mind, has a mar- 
velous power over all of our physical nature. 
Many have been made sick, by simple imagi- 
nation. In times of pestilence, doubtless, one 
of the greatest means of spreading the disease, 
has been, the imagination. History tells us 
that men condemned to death have been given 
over to physicians in order to test the power 
of the mind over matter; and in many cases 
death was the result, where the patient was 
not harmed in any way, but simply made to 
fcelieve that a vein had been opened in their 
arm, and that they were slowly, but surely 
bleeding to death. 

Thirty years since, I was living in western 
If. Y. In the place Spiritualism was running 
high. A canal boat stopped, a man on board 
they thought had the cholera, they sent for a 
doctor. A spirit-medium near by heard the 
request, and without being asked, stepped 
aboard the boat, and went into the cabin where 
lay the sick man. The medium commenced 
about this kind of talk,. "What are you laying 
herQ for you lazy fellow % get up, and go out 
on deck, or you will die sure," assuring him 



HEALING FAITH. 153 

there was nothing the matter of him. He con- 
tinned this kind of talk — would pull and hanl 
the fellow, and finally succeeded in getting him 
on deck ; and in a little while, he was declared 
well — and the boat moved on. The next morn- 
ings a neighbor of mine, strong in the faith of 
this humbug philosophy, came into my house 
just as we had finished our morning meal. The 
following dialogue ensued. u Now, Mr. Os- 
borne, what have yon got to say when spirits 
come right into this place and cure a man, sick, 
nigh unto death with the cholera ?" I replied, 
"it was simply the power of mind over matter; 
and I can illustrate my meaning, and all there 
was of that. Here is my little boy, seven 
years old, perfectly healthy, he has just finished 
a hearty meal. Now, by the same process, I 
can make him vomit up his. hearty breakfast." 
I commenced by telling him that he was sick ! 
I repeated it. I made sickening faces, groaned 
and said, "Lester, yon are sick !" Inside of 
three minntes, he vomited as heartily as though 
he had taken an emetic. This was accom- 
plished without the aid of departed spirits. 

The Wesleys were quick to discover the good 
there was in the surroundings of life, and util- 
ize it for the Glory of God. The wicked in 
their Bacchanalian sports, used some grand 
tunes, for their songs of mirth. Charles Wes- 



154 HEALING FAITH. 

ley said, "Music alas! too long has been pressed 
to obey the d^vil;" and many of these tunes 
he rescued from their perilous associations, 
clothed them in the garb of saintly purity, and 
sent them forth to bless the saints of all ages * T 
and thus, men and women have learned some- 
thing of the God given law that mind has over 
matter, and have connected to this power, the 
illegitimate monstrosity, born of delusion, and 
speculations, and named it "CHRISTIAN. SCI- 
ENCE, or MIND CURE." 

Now, about how far, and in what way may 
be we benefited by this knowledge? 

1 — It is a well-know^n fact, that good nature, 
hopefulness, and cheerfulness, are great pre- 
ventives to sickness. I believe that many are 
made sick by simple anticipation ; and to dis- 
abuse their minds of such an idea, often works 
wonders. 

2 — Business men often use this power to cre- 
ate a panic in the "Stock market." On Wall 
street, N. Y., they have their Bulls and Bears. 
One class are ready to buy, the other to sell. 
One cry up stock, the other cry down stock, 
as the case may be. This procedure affects 
the market all over the country. Speculators 
understand this much of the "Science" It 
has been truthfully said, "That the children 
of this world in their generation, are wiser 



HEALING FAITH. 155 

than the children of light." Ob, that we might 
be as wise, and press good out of all the events 
of life. 

3 — We should on all occasions, cry up stockl 
health for soul and body, and prosperity for 
Zion — Amen. 

I have heard it said that one scurvy sheep, 
would affect the whole flock. A minister, 
class leader, steward, or any prominent mem* 
ber of a society, will, if always complaining, 
murmuring, fault-finding, breed death and 
desolation, whereever they go Such charac- 
ters, should never be allowed to enter a sick 
room. That class carry gloom and discourage* 
ment in their very appearance ; and instead of 
being a comfort and help, they produce in 
many cases, a dangerous relapse. Preachers, 
sometimes, linger about the sore spots, until 
all, seem to be putritication. Instead of look* 
ing at the fountain of life, its immensity, 
enough for each, enough for ail, enough for- 
evermore, and receiving its fullness in them- 
selves, always ready to help others, come short 
by the former process. 

Don't say much about your troubles; cry 
up stock to the best of your ability, and as 
God, and your conscience will allow, but don't 
report for the devil. 

There is great force in always looking on the 



156 HEALING FAITH. 

bright side of every question. But this, you 
cannot, nor will not do, unless you live on the 
sunny side of the Rock. It is right, and proper, 
to turn the attention of the sorrowing ones of 
earth to the bright side — yea, to the sun bright 
clime of Paradise, where the shadows of sor- 
row w r ill never strike across our pathway ; 
where the inhabitants will never say " I am 
siclc /" 

Here, is where the real saint lives, under the 
wing of the Almighty, "where God the Son 
forever reigns, and scatters night away." 

This is not all in eternity, but on this side 
of the boundary line of time, we have the sun- 
shine of heaven, and breezes from the land 
where flowers forever bloom. 

Abstractly considered, aside from the influ- 
ence the Holy Spirit has upon the Christian 
character and life, the mind has a marvelous 
power over our entire being ; and this, has been 
prostituted, for worldly purposes. Here, is 
where the great wrong comes in. The term, 
"Christian science, or mind cure," is mislead- 
ing. It does not claim to depend upon the 
merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, for any of its 
accomplishments ; but upon the knowledge 
they have of the power, the mind has over 
matter. To be a Christian science, it must 
draw its inspiration from Christ Jesus the 



HEALIXG FAITH. 157 

Lord. Some of its advocates, openly, and un- 
blushingly deny the divinity of Him, and the 
glory of whatever is accomplished by this 
power, they give to humanity, and the force 
of nature, and some to departed spirits, and 
not to Jesus Christ. 

"As an example of Christian Science super- 
stition exceeding anything attempted by the 
% most ignorant advocates of patient Faith Heal- 
ing, read the following, taken verbatim from a 
text-book on Mind Cure, issued by the presi- 
dent of the "New York School of Primitive 
and Practical Christian Science," who states 
that Ms school will be free from "eccentricity^ 
pretension, a:nd fanaticism !" 

"Peayie for a Dyspeptic." 
"Holy Reality! We believe in Thee that 
thou art EVERYWHERE present. We real- 
ly believe it. Blessed Reality we do not pre- 
tend to believe, think we believe, believe that 
w 7 e believe. We believe. Believing that thou 
art everywhere present, we believe that Thou 
art in this patient's stomach, in every fibre, in 
every cell, in every atom, that Thou art the 
soul, only Reality of that stomach. Heavenly, 
Holy Reality, we will try not be such hypo- 
crites and infidels, as every day of our lives to 
affirm our faith in Thee and then immediately 
begin to tell how sick we are, forgetting that 



158 HEALING FAITH. 

Thou art everything and that Thou art not 
sick, and therefore that nothing in this uni- 
verse was ever sick, is now sick, or can be sick. 
Forgive us our sins in that we have this day 
talked about our backaches, that we have told 
our neighbors that our food hurts us, that we 
mentioned to a visitor that there was a lump 
in our stomach, that we have wasted our valu- 
able time which should have been spent in thy 
service, in worrying for fear that our stomach 
would grow worse, in that we disobeyed Thy 
blessed law, in thinking that some kind of 
medicine would help us. We know, Father 
and Mother of us all, that there is no such a 
thing as a really diseased stomach, that the 
disease is the CARNAL MORTAL MIND 
given over to the WORLD, the Flesh, and the 
Devil ; that the mortal mind is a twist, a dis- 
tortion, a false attitude, the HARMATIA of 
Thought, Shining and Glorious Verity, we 
recognize the great and splendid FACT that 
the moment we really believe the truth, disease 
-ceases to trouble us, that the truth is, there is 
no disease in either real body or mind ; that in 
the mind there seems to be a disease is a false 
belief, a parasite, a hateful excrescence, and 
that what happens in the body is the shadow 
of the LIE in the SOUL. Lord, help us to be- 
lieve that ALL EVIL is utterly unreal ; that 



HEALING FAITH. 159 

it is silly to be sick, absurd to be ailing, wicked 
to be wailing, atheism and denial of God to 
say "I am sick." Help us to stoutly affirm 
with our hand in Your hand, with our eyes 
fixed on Thee that we have no dyspepsia, that 
we will never have dyspepsia, that there is 
no such thing, that there never was any such 
thing, that there never will be any such thing 
Amen." — Hazzard. 

Mrs. Eddy of Chicago, and others, have writ- 
ten much on J 'Christian Science." In some of 
her writings she disclaims affinity with Spirit- 
ualism ; but according to my knowledge of the 
matter, it was evolved from that source. Some 
thirty-five years since, I sat with them in a 
seance, where a lady, almost gone with con- 
sumption was operated upon by the same 
treatment that the u Christian scientists" 
practice to-day. From a helpless, speechless 
condition she revived so that she was able to 
dress herself and walk about the yard. She 
continued to improve for about three months, 
then suddenly relapsed, and died. 

Where disease has been located simply in 
the mind, which is often the case, some mar- 
velous cures have been effected by this class of 
doctors ; and because they found a supposed 
mental cause adequate to a cure in a few cases, 
leaped to a wild conclusion that all causes were 



160 HEALING FAITH. 

mental, and would yield to the same treatment. 
They claim that our bodies are sensationless ; 
they do not suffer, they have no pain, that all 
suffering is in the mind ; then to work up a 
belief, that we do not suffer, and some are 
really made to believe that doctrine. 

Whatever pretensions the teachers of this 
"Science," present to the public, as a curative 
power ; and however much they may claim 
sympathy for the sick and suffering, the real 
gist of the matter seems to be, they are after 
cash. They charge enormously for teaching 
the "Science," an s d the same for helping the 
sick ; as I have been informed, they do not 
teach, or give aid to the sick, without pay in 
advance. How unlike Jesus, is all such oper- 
ations, who, went everywhere doing good, 
without money, and without price. Whoever 
heard, of a real child of God, asking pay, for 
going to pray to Grod, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord, for a sick brother, or sister, or the 
wickedest person on earth? We come to this 
conclusion, that, their foundation is on the 
sand ; and not on the merits of the precious 
blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 



A DOUBLE CURE. 161 



XL 

A Double Cure. 

Hark ! a light step— followed by a heavy 
tread — is approaching my study. What does 
it mean % It is a cold, freezing clay in Febru- 
ary, and it is Saturday -a very busy day for 
me. Well, I should think wife w r ould enter- 
tain company in the parlor. But here she 
comes, followed by a person right from the 
State lunatic asylum — one that I had met with 
before. I must confess that I felt a little 
strange with such company; but I immediately 
arose and gave the brother my hand, and said— 
"Good morning. Mr. Van Benschoten ; how 
do you do ?" "I am well, bless God ! I called, 
Brother Osborne, to tell you what great things 
the Lord has done for me." He then gave me 
his experience, which is as follows : 

I have been in the New York Asylum for two 
years, and have been growing w r orse, so that 
for several months I have not been outside 
these prison walls. Recently, Mr. Gray, the 
superintendent, wrote my wife that I was an 



162 A DOUBLE CUKE. 

incurable case. Of course, I expected to re- 
main incarcerated within those prison walls; 
but what was still worse, I expected my rea- 
son to remain dethroned ; which in the past 
had been periodically. But I was growing 
worse; my body was quite emaciated: I had 
lost my appetite, and in fact, I was full of 
fearful forebodings, a wretched man. My case 
was a sad one. Here I must suffer out this 
brief existence, in misery-pain— sorrow— shame 
and remorse — and then an eternity with devils 
and damned spirits ; and all this brought on 
by my own licentiousness. "0 wretched man 
that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body 
of this death?" A companion in tribulation 
said to me, the Lord can heal you, soul and 
body, and gave me this passage of Scripture : 
"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, 
and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he has 
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." 
I thought, that just covers my case — but liow, 
to make it available ? I was told by my com- 
rade in distress, that I must fast and pray ; 
which I did, until I wore my knees sore. I 
was then watched very narrowly, and prohibit- 
ed from getting upon my knees ; and finally, I 
was shut up at night in a crib, in order to pre- 
vent, as I suppose the doctors viewed it, a fur- 
ther development of my new phase of insan- 



A DOUBLE CURE. 163 

ity. The crib is something like a large cradle, 
without rocker, — with a cover of slats that 
shut over the top, and is locked down when oc- 
cupied by any one. While in this condition, 
I was led to think of God's goodness to me in 
sparing my life so long, and I a rebel against 
him. 

I thought of the effort I had been making to 
get to Him ; my sins had appeared in dreadful 
array, which I loathed with all my heart. I 
felt that there was real godly sorrow in me. I 
had besought the Lord to pardon my sins, and 
heal my body. I believed that he was able to 
do it ; yea, I thought that he was willing to do 
it; I thought of the promise, — "The prayer of 
faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall 
raise him up ; and if he has committed sins, 
they shall be forgiven him." I said Lord, 
why not now ! they have locked me up to pre- 
vent my getting upon my knees ; but can't the 
Lord bless me lying on my back? Can't the 
Almighty come right through these slats ? 

I heard a voice saying, yes ! He can. The 
next moment I was believing in God with all 
my heart. Something said, why not believe 
that God will do his work, and do it now ! I 
said Lord, thou wilt do it now ! Just then I 
felt a very strange sensation going all through 
my body ; and with it a conviction that the 



164 A DOUBLE CURE. 

work was done. 1 felt glory to God ! all 
through my soul and body. It flowed from 
my heart, like oil from a flowing well ; and 
continued to bubble up just as Jesus promised 
it should do. "The water that I give you, 
shall be in you a well of water, springing up 
unto everlasting life." Praise our God for- 
ever ! The next morning, soon after coming 
out of the crib, I met the head physician. He 
said good morning Van ; how are you \ I am 
well, 1 replied, — glory to God ! Van, what do 
you mean ? I mean that the good Lord came 
right down into the crib last night and healed 
my soul and body — glory to God ! glory ! glo- 
ry ! glory ! forever and ever ! amen ! amen I 
The doctor looked wild, and said : Van be 
careful, or we shall put you up in No. "11." 
(The hall where the incurable cases were kept.) 
The brother constantly affirmed that God had 
made him whole, every whit. Within four 
weeks from the time the superintendent wrote 
this brother's wife that her husband was incur- 
able, he wrote her that he was so much better 
that she could come after him ; but did not 
state how he was cured. 

Three years after, I met this Brother on the 
cars. His first utterances were, as I approached 
him, Glory to God ! Brother Osborne, the 
Lord saves me soul and body. He said that 



JUSTIFICATION. 165 

he had not had a symptom of his old disease 
since his last night in the crib. Our God is 
mighty to save ! 



XII. 

Justification. 

Justification implies pardon for our sins, 
past and present — something that God does for 
us ; and regeneration is something done within 
us, Justification is generally understood to 
embrace both pardon and regeneration. They 
are, however, so near together as to belong to 
the same family ; in fact, they are twins, and, 
taken together, they imply — first, reconcilia- 
tion to God. In our natural condition, we are 
enemies to Him — made so by the sin of our first 
parents ; secondly, by our own wicked works. 
' 'Because the carnal mind is enmity against 
God;" for it is not subject to the law of God, 
neither indeed can be. So, then, they that are 



166 JUSTIFICATION. 

in the flesh cannot please God." Jesns says, 
" Without me, ye can do nothing ;" so that in 
our natural, unsaved condition we cannot do 
the will of God. Reconciliation implies God- 
ly sorrow for sin, and a confession of the same, 
and obedience to the divine law. "'Who so 
confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have 
mercy." Again, it implies making wrongs 
right. If we have taken in deal, or in any 
other way, that which did not belong to us, we 
shall promptly restore. If we have wronged 
another in his character, we shall hasten to 
make it right. "Whoso keepeth the whole 
law, and yet offendeth in one point, is guilty 
of all." 

Many are in the dark in regard to their 
Justification ; but there is no necessity for 
that, for where this work is wrought in the 
heart there are evidences that are unmistak- 
able. For, says the Apostle, "Ye have not re- 
ceived the Spirit of bondage again to fear ; but 
ye have received the Spirit of adoption, where- 
by we cry, 4 Abba, Father.' The Spirit itself 
beareth witness with our spirit that we are the 
children of God." Here are two unimpeach- 
able witnesses to the fact of a man's conversion 
to God. First, the Spirit of God witnesses to 
the fact ; that is, God the Holy Ghost divinely 
impresses the soul that the work is wrought — 



JUSTIFICATION. 167 

an inward conviction that our sins are forgiven; 
that so far as the east is from the west, so far 
hath he removed our transgressions from us. 

Again, our spirit or our mind is turned in- 
ward, and being illuminated by the Holy 
Ghost can discern or perceive the great change 
wrought within ; and the witnesses uniting 
declare the great transaction done, and the 
soul cries out instinctively, "I am my Lord's, 
and he is mine." Glory to God! Amen. 
Again the fact that the kingdom is fixed with- 
in, bringing forth its legitimate fruit — right- 
eousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost 
— is positive assurance that reconciliation to 
God has been consummated. "That being trans- 
lated from the kingdom of darkness to the 
kingdom of God's dear Son," the soul is ex- 
quisitely happy, and in joyous exclamation 
sings, 'Tongue cannot express the sweet com- 
fort and peace of a soul in its earliest love ;" 
and so long as the soul retains pardon, it can 
sing, " Jesus all the day long is my joy and my 
song, O, that all his salvation might see." 

Again reconciliation to God implies that we 
have renounced the devil and all his works, 
the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all 
covetous desires of the same, and the carnal 
desires of the flesh, so that we will not follow 
or be led by them. Here, is coming out from. 



168 JUSTIFICATION. 

the world. The eye has become single to the 
glory of God, and the whole body is full of 
light. A justified soul has the light in regard 
to all the demands the Almighty has upon 
them and a determination to walk in it ; hence, 
everything that is designed to please the lust 
of the eye, the lust of the flesh, the pride of 
life, will be laid aside. We shall eat, drink, 
labor and dress for the glory of God, and, 
if in any of these practices, whether it 
be eating or drinking, chewing, snuf- 
fing, or smoking tobacco, there remains a 
doubt in regard to the right or wa*or>g of the 
matter, we are under condemnation if we 
practice the same, and this extends to all the 
relations of life. u He that doubteth is damned 
if he eat, because he eateth not of faith, for 
whatsoever is not of faith is sin." 

A justified soul has light in regard to costly 
churches, and the modern mode of selling them 
to the highest bidder, and running them ac- 
cording to modern expediency. It will not 
engage in such work, neither will it endorse by 
its means or its presence, the worship of God, 
singing, praying, or preaching, by unhallowed 
lips. It will not join hand in hand with the 
secret oath bound fraternity, that in heart, and 
in life, are opposed to the Gospel of Christ, 
full of worldly speculation, pride, fashion, 



JUSTIFICATION. 169 

banqueting, revelry, mirth, trifling, worldly 
mindedness, having the form of godliness, but 
denying the power thereof, from such, the 
command is to turn away, and the soul that is 
freely justified before God responds, "Lord 
obediently I'll go," Yes, Glory to God, it is 
in their hearts to turn from every abomination. 
O, glory ! Justification is a wonderful bles- 
sing ! With this, we are enabled to keep all 
of God's commands. It is not true, as com- 
monly reported in religious meetings, by those 
professing salvation, that they are in the way, 
and yet, they are making zig-zag paths. 
"Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that 
leadeth unto life," and the justified soul has 
found it, and is walking in it. Hallelujah! 
The first introduction into the kingdom of 
grace, gives the victory over the world, the 
flesh, and the devil, and not only so, they are 
happy in God. "Believing," says James, "ye 
rejoice with joy that is unspeakable and full 
of glory." " A gain, the redeemed of the Lord 
shall return and come to Zion, with songs and 
everlasting joy upon their heads ; they shall 
obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sigh- 
ing shall flee away." Glory to God for justi- 
fying grace. This takes murmuring, complain- 
ing, fault-finding, dishonesty, covetousness, 
hatred, ill-will, emulation, strife, wrath, 



173 JUSTIFICATION. 

jealousy, adultery, and every miserable thing, 
blue devils, and all out of a man. 

Dear reader, do you enjoy this grace ? 

Holiness Defined. 

We read this paper before the ministerial 
association of Oswego, N. Y., January, 1880. 
We give the paper, and some of its criticisms : 

They gave me this scripture to write from. 
u And the very God of peace sanctify you 
wholly,"-! Thess.-5-23 

We formulated it in this way. What more 
did the prayer embrace than what they already 
had? 

They w r ere a Christian people. This they 
manifested. First, by their faith in the Lord 
Jesus Christ. Secondly, by their love for God 
and each other, And thirdly, by their keep- 
ing the commandments, and entertaining a 
blessed hope of a glorious resurrection. 

In this epistle, the first I think that the 
apostle wrote to any church, he does not re- 
prove them for any faults, or failures in their 
moral or religious character, which he was al- 
ways sure to do, if the condition of things re- 
quired it ; but treated them as a pure church ; 
manifesting at the same time, a strong desire 
that they should attain unto all that complete- 
ness of life and character, which God required 
at their hands ; and that holiness, w r hich will 



JUSTIFICATION. 171 

alone permit us to see his face in peace. "And 
holiness, without which, no man shall see the 
Lord:'— Heb.-12-14. 

Do the scriptures teach a distinction between 
regeneration, and entire sanctilication % They 
do. u And I brethren, could not speak unto 
you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even 
as unto babes in Christ. For ye are yet car- 
nal ; for whereas there is among you envying, 
and strife, and divisions are ye not carnal, and 
walk as men ?" 

"Having therefore these promises, dearly be- 
loved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthi- 
ness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness 
in the fear of God." In that wonderful prayer 
of the Saviour, "Sanctify them through thy 
truth, thy word is truth," the same doctrine is 
clearly brought to light. 

The scriptures do assume a distinction be- 
tween regeneration, and entire sanctilication, 
or being sanctified wholly. 

To sinners, God says — "Ye must be born 
again." To the regenerate, He says, u be ye 
holy, for I am holy." Unanswerable argument. 
These two classes of commands, in their vari- 
ous forms, are prominent through the gospels, 
and epistles. Different terms are employed 
in the scriptures to represent the same state, a 
perfect salvation. 



172 JUSTIFICATION. 

Perfect love, perfection, sanctification, and 
holiness, are synonymous terms, pointing to 
the same exalted state of saving grace, enjoyed 
in this life. Bat while they all denote the 
same religious state, each one of them indicate 
some of its essential characteristics, and pecu- 
liar phases. These terms are significantly ex- 
pressive of the state. 

The term, "sanctification" has regard es- 
pecially to the work of a complete consecra- 
tion of soul and body to God. To "sanctify" 
means to set apart ; to devote to holy uses. 
"Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye 
holy." 

The term "perfection" refers especially to 
the completeness of Christian character ; its 
freedom from all sin, and its possession of all 
the graces of the spirit ; completeness in kind. 
"Let us go on unto perfection." 

The term perfect love points more directly 
to the spirit, temper, and element in which the 
wholly sanctified and perfect Christian lives. 
"God is love," and they that dwell in God, 
dwell in love. 

In regeneration sin does not reign ; in "sane- 
tification" it does not exist. In regeneration. 
^in is suspended ; in sanctification, it is de- 
stroyed. In regeneration, irregular desires, 
anger, pride, unbelief, envy, malice, are sub- 



JUSTIFICATION. 173 

dued ; in "sanctification" they are removed* 
Regeneration is salvation from the voluntary 
commission of sin; "sanctification" is salva- 
tion from the being of sin. "It is the will of 
God, even yonr sanctification" 

This state of grace is both permissive, and 
authoritative. The cleansing stream is in 
reach of every believer, and the declaration 
has gone out, "Whosoever will, let him take 
the water of life freely. It is gloriously possi- 
ble to touch the hem of his garment, and be 
made whole every whit." But secondly, it is 
the will of God in an authoritative sense. He 
requires us, to seek entire holiness. The 
length and breadth of the evangelical law, is 
this : "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy 
mind, and with all thy strength, and what is 
this but a state of entire sanctification," and 
what less could God require ? I believe that 
all real Christians accept this statement, but 
disagree in regard to the time when this bless- 
ed work shall be accomplished. Many putting 
it at, or near death, while we, upon the author- 
ity of God's word say that now, is the accept- 
able time, "To day, is the day of salvation." 
This state of grace, bears its own legitimate 
fruit ; and when Christians love the Lord with 
air their hearts, love the souls of men more 



174 JUSTIFICATION. 

than their own ease, or emolument, u and love 
each other with pure hearts fervently," their 
example speaks volumes, and preaches more 
effectively than words in favor of the cause 
they profess to love. 

u Then they put to silence the ignorance of 
foolish men." Then the gospel acquires an 
influence w r hich wins its way to the heart of 
the multitude. The sacramental host of God's 
elect, clad with the panoply of God, saved 
from the corruptions which are in the w T orld, 
and armed with holy faith and mighty prayer, 
hold in check the powers of hell, and triumphs 
over the most formidable, and appalling ob- 
stacles. In her infancy, when few in number, 
the church by her purity, silenced the objec- 
tions of philosopers, and the power of perse- 
cution ; successfully assailed the strongholds 
of superstition, and finally demolished the 
wdiole fabric of idolatry, which had been ren- 
dered venerable and sacred by the lapse of 
ages. She "quenched the violence of fire, es- 
caped the edge of the sword, out of weakness 
was made strong, waxed valiant in fight, 
turned to flight the armies of the aliens. The 
simple preaching of the cross, by men "sancti- 
fied" wholly, baptized with the Holy Ghost 
and with fire, backed up by a holy and self 
denying life, like an earthquake struck dumb 



JUSTIFICATION. 175 

a giddy and clamorous world, and carried ter- 
ror to the very gates of hell ! 

Who can look back to the period when 
Christianity achieved her noblest triumphs) 
and see altars and temples crumbling to dust, 
and the Gods of the heathen given to the moles 
and the bats, the church multiplied and in- 
creased under the bloodiest persecutions, mar- 
tyrs going to the stake in ecstacy, and their 
very executioners converted by the grandeur 
of their example, and in their turn following 
them to the possession of the martyr's crown— 
who I say. can survey these scenes without 
feeling convinced that there is a power alto- 
gether unearthly in a life of purity and self- 
denial. A life, wholly consecrated, and com- 
pletely u sanctified" heart and tongue set on 
fire with God's eternal love. 

When the purity and simplicity of the 
apostolic age shall characterize the great mass 
of Christian believers — when the institutions of 
Christianity shall be strictly conformed to the 
original plan, and the members of the church 
shall stand forth completely armed with the 
"armour of righteousness on the right hand 
and on the left," then will the kingdom and 
dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom 
under the whole heaven be given to the people 
of the Most High whose Kingdom is an ever- 



176 JUSTIFICATION. 

lasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve 
and obey Him. Daniel, 7-27. 

If these be tacts and who can say they are 
not ? then, wliatis the duty of every believer? 
and especially every minister of the gospel, but 
to seek until he, or she obtains the blessing? 

After the paper was read the chairman 
called on the clergy to go tell what they 
thought of the paper. Brother U B." was first 
called on. He was a Congregationalist. Said 
Brother B., U I was brought up on that crea?n y 
but I don't believe a word of it now." 

Doubtless this Brother had been converted. 
His father was a United Brethren preacher, 
and believed in the life and power of salvation. 
This Brother had said to me previous to this 
that he and his father used to hold meetings 
with just such results and manifestations as 
you Free Methodist have. He was looked up- 
on by the association as a free thinker. 

Doctor D. T. was next called on. "Well," 
said the aged divine, "I sin every day in 
thought, word and deed. That is all I have to 
say about that paper." 

A Congregationalist missionary to the 
churches of America, was present, having 
preached in the city the Sabbath previous. 

When called upon to state his views upon 
the paper, remarked, "I take no stock in the 



JUSTIFICATION. 177 

doctrine discussed by the paper. If it means 
to feel good, there may be something in it and 
it's possible I have got it, for there are times 
when I feel pretty good." 

Several preachers present would not venture 
a remark on the subject. The only one that 
endorsed the paper w^as Rev. Frank Beck, an 
M. E. preacher. He endorsed it heartily, 
backing up his argument by Scripture, Wes- 
ley and others; at the same time he was in 
bondage to oath-bound societies, and lacked 
that freedom and unction which every minister 
of the gospel ought to possess — might possess, 
if all was on the altar, accepted of God, set on 
fire of the Holy Ghost. 

I was surprised with that intelligent, cul- 
tured, company of ministers, who manifested 
such ignorance in regard to what was meant, in 
being a gospel minister, or a real child of God. 

Brother H. H. S., a Presbyterian, wdien asked 
what he had to say, replied, "I never met with 
any of those changes; and am satisfied with this 
— I have always been good. I think that I w as 
converted before I was born, never since." 



178 A DIKECT ROUTE. 



XIII. 

A Dirict Route. 

Many have a desire to see Jesus, but miss 
the route, and fail in the end. They say a 
great deal, and do much — but after all they 
fail. We read of one away back in the days 
when Christ was on earth, who desired to see 
him, and hearing that he was to pass that way 
hastened to the road where he was to pass, and 
climbed up a tree, in order as he supposed to 
have a fine prospect ; but Jesus called him 
down. It is just so with many at the present 
day; they want to see Jesus, but take the 
wrong route! they climb up, — i. e., they tell 
you how good they are ; how much good they 
have done here and there. I heard a young 
preacher say, he went to Baltimore and con- 
verted two souls. His talk was full of self. 
Jesus was not the one altogether lovely with 
him. 

It's down at the foot of the cross, where 
flows the blood, that bought our guilty souls 
for God. This brother like a great many, fail 



A DIRECT ROUTE. 179 

to touch the blood, consequently, they always 
dine on old manna. 

The last I saw of him he was loaded down 
with old musty bread, gotten from the Gibeon- 
ites. Too many take this route and fail. The 
direct route to Jesus, starts from low down in 
the valley, — the place called self -abasement. lb 
is true, that way down here, there seems to be 
clouds and vapor, mixed with mist, while the 
eye is turned inward, and especially while un- 
der the direct rays of the Holy Ghost we see 
our unlikeness to God, — our infirmities — our 
ignorance — our sins — our short comings, heart 
wanderings, and alienations from him ; and as 
we confess these to God and our brethren, we 
grow less in our own estimation. And as we 
go down in this way — confessing to the very 
bottom, suddenly, and as by magic, the clouds 
disperse, shadows fly — the invisible appears to 
mortal eye — glory to God ! 

Would you see Jesus % come down into the 
valley of blessing so sweet ! 6 4 He that hum- 
bleth himself shall be exalted." "If we seek 
to save our lives we shall lose them." God 
has opened up a new and living way; that is 
the route of repentance— and confession — and 
faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. "If we con- 
fess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive 
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unright- 



180 A DIRECT ROUTE. 

eousness." We need not be deceived in regard 
to our whereabouts. This route is paved all 
the way through with blood divine. 

Then, too, the cross that kills is here ; and 
this is always visible ; and upon its beams are 
written: "He that w r ould be my disciple, let 
him take up his cross daily, and come after 
me." The direct route to Jesus is covered 
completely by the cross ! Would you find it ? 
Come down from your high perch ! get off from 
your stilts, limber up ; be child-like ; leave off 
your affectation ; talk natural, be just what 
you are ; let Gfod have you — and as quick as 
light from the smitten steel, you will find 
yourself in the direct route to glory; high above 
the storm and vapor — winging your way to the 
land that hath no storms. 



REST, BUT XOT LOITER. 181 



Rest, But Not Loiter. 

There is a bridge crossing the river Thames, 
at London, and at one end of this bridge, there 
is a seat prepared for the weary pilgrim to rest 
himself ; and just above this seat hangs a sign, 
with these words, "Rest, bat not loiter " 

In the great plan of salvation, God has pro- 
vided a mercy-seat, where all may find rest; 
rest to the weary soul ; rest from the commis- 
sion of sin, rest from the inbeing of sin, rest 
from all moral defilement ; — rest from slavish 
fear, rest from the fear of evil tidings, rest 
from the fear of man ; rest from the fear cf 
what the people will say ; rest from the fear of 
want ; rest in prosperity, when all goes well, 
and in adversity when all goes ill, rest in the 
fire, rest out of the fire ; rest in sickness, rest 
in persecution, in necessities, in cruel mock- 
ings, in stripes, in imprisonments ; rest under 
all the ills which flesh is heir to; and, O ! what 
a blessed prospect of rest in death — in the res- 
urrection morn ; rest, rest forever in the para- 
dise of God. 



182 EEST, BUT NOT LOITER. 

How few liave found this rest. The multi- 
tude are loitering about Christ, as in bygone 
days, for the loaves and fishes. You find them 
thronging holy places, and in fact, their names 
are on the church record — they call themselves 
Christians, — but, O ! how destitute of soul-rest. 
They talk of rest, but how easily is their rest 
turned into unrest, their humility into vain 
pomp and show ; their love into downright 
anger; their benevolence, into God-dishonor- 
ing covetousness; their separation from the 
world into commingling with, those that hate 
God and trample his law under their feet. 
The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and 
the pride of life, sits enthroned in their hearts. 
Many thronged the Saviour when he was on 
earth, but how few got near enough to touch 
the hem of his garment. On one occasion, a 
poor woman pressed her way into the crowd, 
touched the Saviour and found rest; yes, glory 
be to God, she found rest for soul and body. 
Hallelujah ! We may rest, and not loiter. 

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are 
heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Thank 
God ! there is a place of rest. You need not be 
fretful, peevish, impatient, cross, proud, vain, 
fierce, heady, high-minded, jealous, full of 
deceit — evil speaking — tale-bearing, covetous, 
filthy, fearful, unbelieving. No I there is 



A LIVING SACRIFICE. 183 

power ill Jesus' blood to wash these all away, 
and give perfect rest to the soul. "For we 
w r hich have believed do enter into rest." 

How refreshing to the weary pilgrim, after 
the toils of the day are o'er, the sun sinking in 
the west, the shades of night coming on, to 
have a place of rest, — a place where the cares 
of life are for the time-being forgotten, and the 
mind is at liberty to ronm the vast fields of 
thought, and revel in all the delights of fancy. 
How- blessed it will be, after the toils and con- 
flicts of life are o'er, to have an eternity of 
rest — to be forever shut in with God, "Where 
the wicked cease from troubling and the weary 
are at rest." 

Rest, but not loiter. 



XV. 

A Living Sacrifice. 

God requires a living, not a dead sacrifice. 
The time for sarificial offerings is past. Jesus 
Christ suffered unto death, even the death of 



184 A LIVING SACRIFICE. 

the cross, to redeem us from all iniquity, and 
to purify unto Himself a "peculiar people," 
and make us meet for the inheritance of the 
saints in light. God now requires, that we 
should be a complete offering to Him ; soul, 
body and spirit : all we have, all we are, and 
all we ever expect to be, for time and eternity. 
We frequently say with our lips, but do we 
say it deep down in our heart : 

"Take my soul and body's powers ; 
Take my mernYy, mind and will ; 
All my goods, and all my hours ; 
All I know, and all I feel ; 
All I think, or speak, or do ; 
Take my heart, but make it new." 

This is just what God requires ; hear the 
command : "I beseech you therefore, brethren, 
by the mercies of God, that ye present your 
bodies a living sacrifice ! holy, acceptable 
unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
And be not conformed to this world : but be 
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, 
that ye may prove what is this good and ac- 
ceptable and perfect will of God. (Ro. 12 ; 12.) 

Again, "Ye are not your own! For ye are 
bought with a price : therefore glorify God in 
your body, and spirit, which are his." (1 Cor. 
6: 19.) The above expresses in general, what 
is implied in being, U A living sacrifice." Too 



A LIVING SACRIFICE. 185 

many, are content with a sort of wholesale con- 
secration ; and too many we have reason to 
fear, keep back a part of the price. Let us, 
dear reader, look carefully at our offering, to 
see, if it be just what God requires, without 
blemish or spot, or any such thing. 

First, Our memory: Is it devoted to God? 
Do we always, and under all circumstances, 
recollect God's commandments? Do w^e al- 
ways inquire of Him, before engaging in any 
business transaction % Do we remember daily, 
to discharge our obligations, to God, our breth- 
ren and sisters, our neighbors, and all we have 
to do with \ Do w r e always act out our religion, 
just what we profess before the enemies of the 
cross of Christ, as well, as when among His 
friends % 

Second, The mind : We must serve God with 
our intellects. The mind must be cultivated 
for His Glory. We have no right to remain in 
ignorance. The command is, "Study to show 
thyself approved unto God." "Thou shalt 
love the Lord thy God, with all thy soul and 
with all thy mind." Our intellects must be cul- 
tivated ; not to gain the applause of men, but 
that we may have more power to win souls to 
Christ, and build them up in that Holiness, 
without -w T hich no man shall see the Lord; 
and not prostituted, to a time-saving policy. 



186 A LIVING SACRIFICE. 

Third, Our will : The will, to our intellect- 
ual machinery, is the same as the rudder to a 
vessel. This gives direction to the ship when 
under way, and if in the hands of a skilled 
helmsman, she goes just as desired. It is so 
with the will, if in the hands of the Holy Ghost, 
our minds will be guided into all truth. 

Fourth, The eye : must be wholly sanctified 
to God, or else we shall be running after 
strange flesh, and strange sights. If the eye be 
single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 

Fifth, The ear : When fully consecrated will 
be quick to hear when God speaks, by His 
providence, His spirit or in His blessed word; 
but will not listen to reports of slander, not 
unsanctified music when offered up as worship 
to the great 1 am. 

Sixth, The face : The index of the soul must 
be clean and comely. It affords great comfort 
and delight to look upon, especially when 
Jesus Christ is living and reigning in the hearty 
w r hen the oil of gladness makes the face to 
shine ; but how it detracts in beauty and ex- 
pression, if the mouth be covered over with 
moustache, like w r orldly minded men. To me 
it is an expression of pride and vanity, as 
much as for females to cover their head with 
flowers and ribbons. 

Seventh, The mouth : We must not allow 



A LIVING SACRIFICE. 187 

anything to enter our mouths that would in 
any way defile our bodies knowingly. That 
class of food that proves injurious to the sys- 
tem we must not use ; neither drink what 
hurts. Tobacco, used in any form, defiles ; 
hence, we cannot use it and be a "living sacri- 
fice." 

Eighth, The tongue : Is an unruly member, 
full of deadly poison. No man hath ever been 
able to tame it without the grace of God ; and 
with this it requires constant watching, held 
in with bit and bridle. O ! how much it means 
to have a sanctified tongue ; having our con- 
versation always ' 'seasoned with salt, minis- 
tering grace to the hearers." 

Ninth, Our bodies : With all pertaining there- 
to, life, health, strength, family, friends, farms, 
bank and railroad stock, all are to be devoted 
to the cause of human redemption. We give 
ourselves up to do and suffer for the Lord Je- 
sus Christ. God wants men and women thus 
devoted to His cause in every department of 
life. In the pulpit and in the pew ; the mer- 
chant, the mechanic, the sailor, the scavenger, 
the manufacturer, teachers, servants to do the 
little work, mothers to rear families, presi- 
dents, statesmen, judges, and all rulers in au- 
thority. 

Tenth, The results : When professors are 



188 THE LAW AND 

thus devoted to the cause of Christ, a slumber- 
ing world will awake to righteousness, and not 
before. Then nations will be born in a day, 
they will learn war no more. The blood stained 
banner will be unfurled in every clime ; Jesus 
Christ will reign from the rivers to the ends of 
the earth. 
Are you a living sacrifice X 



XVI. 

The Law and the Gospel. 

The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to 
Christ. This is the route ordained of God, there 
is no other way. Both are necessary to our 
salvation. The law reveals to us our lost con- 
dition. We must be made to see our danger, 
before we will apply the remedy; the Gospel 
is the remedy. The law declares that we are 
diseased. u From the soul of the foot even 
unto the head, there is no soundness in it, but 



THE GOSPEL. 189 

wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. 
They have not been closed, neither bound up, 
neither mollified with ointment." Isaiah 1 : 6. 

The sight that God gives of our natural con- 
dition is not very flattering. The sinner is in- 
clined to think himself pretty good, until God 
makes these revelations. Then, as the eye is 
turned inward, we are often overwhelmed as 
we gaze upon our own hearts when under the 
direct rays of the Holy Ghost. We loathe 
ourselves when God we see, and at the same 
time, we hear the law proclaiming, u That the 
soul that sinneth, it sliall die" Now the sin- 
ner is burdened with his own guilt. There 
seems to be a mountain's weight upon him, 
and from the very depths of his soul he cries 
out : "0 wretched man that I am ! who shall 
deliver me from the body of this death V 5 Rom. 
7 : 24. I, that speak in righteousness, mighty 
to save ! I from Edom, the land of Bozra, 
with garments dyed in blood. The sinner 
hears the voice; he listens — he looks away to 
Calvary — to the cross; he sees the bleeding 
victim, he hears words of comfort. "Look un- 
to me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the 
earth ; for I am God, and there is none else." 
Isaiah 45 :22. 

There must be harmony between the law and 
the gospel. If we deal in the law exclusively. 



190 THE LAW AND 

we shall fail to get men saved to God. * If we 
stop declaring the law, we shall fail to reach 
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We 
must be made to know that we are sick, before 
we will apply the remedy. The servant of 
God must cry aloud, and spare not; lift up 
their voice like a trumpet and show the people 
their sins, and Israel their transgressions. The 
great mass of professors seem to ignore the law 
altogether. It has become very unpopular to 
tell the people that they are sinners, and on 
their way to hell, and unless they repent, they 
will surely perish. But on the other hand, 
they are made to believe, and that too, by 
preachers, that they are naturally very good, 
and that we almost confer a great favor on the 
Almighty, by letting Him bless us. A man 
will never give up his sins, until he becomes 
sick of them. Hence he should be made sick 
as soon as possible, and as sick as possible. 
Make him so, by declaring the law to him, 
that he will disgorge freely and fully, throw- 
ing up anything that caused a billious state of 
soul. When this is accomplished, you can 
safely apply the gospel remedy, without much 
fear of a speedy relapse, or of healing slightly. 
There is not much danger of the disease return- 
ing, where the system has been thoroughly 
purged by law remedies. But to give the 



THE GOSPEL. 191 

sweatmeats of the gospel to them that need the 
law, tends to aggravate the case, and make it 
worse. But, says one, does not the blood 
cleanse us from our sins % Yes, the blood is the 
foundation, if toe confess our sins He is faith- 
ful and just to forgive us our sins and to 
cleanse us from all unrighteousness — Glory to 
God ! But to illustrate : In passing a marble 
factory we see a large block of marble upon 
skids. The block upon which we look is about 
eight feet long, five thick, and four wide, A 
set of gang-saws, propelled by steam power, 
are cutting this huge piece of marble up into 
slabs, about two inches thick. Above this 
piece of marble is placed a conductor of water, 
conveying it the whole length of the marble, 
and to every saw. On the top of this marble 
is placed a bushel or two of sand. The water 
falling upon this, washes it down upon the 
saws, causing them to execute their design 
more rapidly upon the marble. Now, to the 
point : Our hearts are naturally hard, stony. 
We have to be squared by the law ; these saws 
represent the law. Whatever the law con- 
demns, mustbe abandoned. The water falling 
upon the marble, represents the gospel. We 
need to mix in a good deal of the gospel with 
the law. The sand falling upon the saw is re- 
pentance and confession. To make the law 



192 KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY. 

cut, we need to confess our sins ; this brings 
us directly to the blood. O, glory to Grod ! Its 
good to live where the blool is continually 
dropping upon our hearts. Bless God for the 
squaring process of the law, and the polishing 
touches of the gospel. Brother, please mix 
well your preparations with a proper amount 
of law and gospel. After dosing out law, until 
your hearers are in a state of despair, introduce 
them to the banqueting house of corn and wine, 
and oil ; let them feast to their heart's content, 
until "Old things have passed away, and all 
things become new." 



XVII. 

Keep The Sabbath Day Holy. 

The laws of Grod are not arbitrary. Every 
commandment is as reasonable as it is divine. 
Wherefore the law is holy, and the command- 
ments holy, and just, and good; having as 



KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY. 193 

much regard to the well-being of man. as to the 
honor and glory of God. Their tendency in 
every instance is evidently beneficial ; and he 
who breaks them, not only sins against God, 
but wrongs his own soul. They enjoin noth- 
ing but what is conducive to man's happiness, 
nor prohibit anything but what would ulti- 
mately injure him, so that the observance of 
every command of God, is as much our inter- 
est, as our duty. 

The Sabbath is a great blessing to mankind. 
It is well adapted to his fallen condition. It 
gives him rest from labors, and anxiety, and 
affords him time to acquire a knowledge of his 
Author, and destination, and to prepare for 
that Eternal rest which is at God's right hand. 
Therefore remember the Sabbath day to keep 
it holy: six days thou shalt labor and do all 
thy loorlc: but the seventh day is the Sabbath 
of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do 
any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daugh- 
ter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, 
nor thy cattle, nor any stranger that is with- 
in thy gate. 

There are many ways in which we may break 
the Sabbath. It is not confined to buying, or 
selling goods, running cars, or vessels, cheese 
factories, or patronizing any of these on God's 
holy day; neither is it confined to blacking 



194 KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY. 

boots, shaving, getting up extra dinners, pol- 
ishing stoves, or knives and forks. Truly in 
these (rod is dishonored, and his laws broken. 
We are not to visit on the Lord's day, except 
in a real cause of mercy. If to help the sick, 
or to relieve the needy, it is right ; but if we 
neglect the sick on week days, because we can- 
not afford the time, or practice a little self de- 
nial, and take the Sabbath for this purpose, 
we are guilty "before God. 

Many seem to think they can visit a brother 
or sister on the Sabbath, and spend one, two, 
or more hours, in religious conversation. Is 
not the Sabbath, a day of rest ? Ought we not, 
after attending the usual means of grace, to 
spend the remaining part of the day, in read- 
ing God's word, in meditation, and in prayer 
before Him. These hours, are sacred to every 
child of God, and should not be lost, or their 
sanctity destroyed, by thoughtless visitors. 
The day is often profaned, by visiting at church, 
before and after services. How r painful, to see 
men and women, professedly saints, standing 
around the door, grouped together in the 
aisles, visiting on God's holy day. Brother, 
sister, ought you not as soon as you enter the 
church, commence a prayer meeting, and let it 
continue until time for preaching. How much 
better to enter upon this solemn service, wdth 



KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY. 195 

hearts burning with the love of God, and a 
faith that brings conviction down upon the 
hearts of sinners, and holds up the preacher 
while he is proclaiming God's eternal truth; 
where this is done the shouts of victory will be 
heard. Works of piety, may be done on the 
Sabbath, but we may not do our own works, or 
lean to our own ways. We are not to travel 
on the Lord's day, except on works of mercy, 
or on works of piety, and this may be deter- 
mined by the necessities of the case. If to re- 
lieve the sick, or help the needy, all right. 
But is it right for those that attend our quar- 
terly meetings, general or otherwise, to remain 
until after the morning service, and then hitch 
up, and drive five, ten, twenty, or more miles, 
on Sabbath afternoon and evening, to reach 
their homes ; is it not in opposition to the 
law, which says, Remember the Sabbath day 
to heep it holy. I think it is. I know some 
that practice this, claim that it is necessary. 
Not long since, a load of "Pilgrims," (I think 
eight, or ten,) came to a general quarterly 
meeting, where I was stationed. Immediately 
after the morning service they commenced 
preparations for returning home Sabbath after- 
noon. They were urged to remain, and not 
break the Lord's day; they thought it neces- 
sary, and so they started, but were caught in 



196 KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY. 

a snow storm, and detained just as long as 
they would have been had they kept the Sab- 
bath and remained at the meeting. There are 
other cases of this kind, where disappointment, 
and loss resulted from this course of action. 
But if there is no pecuniary loss by such ac- 
tions, there is great loss to the soul, and to the 
cause of Christ. Another reason why one 
should remain over the Sabbath, is, all the 
strength of the meeting is needed on Sabbath 
evening ; the interest of the meeting has been 
on the increase, conviction on the hearts of the 
unsaved has become more intense, some have 
almost decided to say, "I yield, I yield." 
God's saving power is hovering over precious 
souls, but it still needs, a steady, unwavering 
faith in God. A mighty faith, a united faith, 
and the whole faith of the church, to bring the 
victory ; and just when help is most needed, 
(I mean human, for God works by means) the 
laborers are scattered in various directions, 
wending their way home. 

"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sab- 
bath, from doing thy pleasures on my holy 
day ; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy 
of the Lord, honorable, and shalt honor Him, 
not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine 
own pleasures, nor speaking thine own words : 
then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord ; 



HOLINESS. 197 

and I will cause thee to ride upon the high 
places of the earth, and feed the with thee heri- 
tage of Jacob thy father : for the mouth of the 
Lord hath spoken it." 



XVIII. 
Youe Fruit Unto Holiness. 

A few years since, I visited the home of my 
childhood, after an absence of more than 
twenty years. Imagine my astonishment, as I 
passed along the way where my w 7 eary feet had 
often trodden in my childhood ? s days. A com- 
plete transformation had taken place. The 
wilderness had given way to well cultivated 
fields. It had truly been made to bud and blos- 
som as the rose. The little log hut, once the 
home of the pioneer, had given way to stately 
mansions. The stillness that had formerly 
reigned in those regions, had passed away ; 
and the hum of husbandry had taken its place. 



198 HOLINESS. 

I realized that something had been done to 
produce this great change. Many a hard blow- 
had been given in felling the trees ; much toil 
in removing the timber, and burning up the 
underbrush. It then became necessary to in- 
troduce the stump machine, that the old 
stumps and roots might every one be removed 
from the soil. And then, what a transfor- 
mation ! I thought I saw in this a complete 
analogy of our natural, depraved condition, 
and the transforming power of the Holy Ghost. 
I realized, in some degree, the labor and suffer- 
ing that had been given to produce these 
wonderful results. 

My mind instantly reverted to Gethsemane ; 
to Pilate's Hall; to calvary; to the Crucifixion; 
the precious blood; its all- cleansing power to 
remove the foulest stains that sin hath made; 
and blessed be God! to remove all the roots of 
bitterness connected with our old man, deprav- 
ity ! 

"His blood can make the foulest clean, 
His blood avails for me." 

But then, how are we to avail ourselves of 
this glorious power % Repentance toward God, 
and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Without 
repentance, there is no approaching Deity. 
This must precede all acts of saving faith. 
Place it just as God has it. 



HOLINESS. 199 

Repent and believe the Gospel ; and by this 
we understand godly sorrow, which will lead 
to a confession of our sins, and a separation 
from them, and restitution where possible. 

4 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and 
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 
from unrighteousness." Here is the secret 
of success. Repentance ! Repentance ! u He 
that covereth his sins shall not prosper ; but 
whoso confesseth them shall have mercy." 

When old depravity has been thoroughly 
broken up by repentance, and the heart washed 
in the all-cleansing blood, then we have our 
fruit unto holiness. There will be a blessed 
realization that this consecration which we so 
frequently make with our lips, has been made 
with our hearts, and accepted by the Lord. 

1 'Take my soul and body's powers ; 

Take my mem'ry, mind and will ; 
All my goods and all my hours ; 

All I know and all I feel ; 
All I think, or speak, or do ; 
Take my heart, but make it new." 

Whether, therefore, w T e eat or drink, or 
whatsoever we do, it will be done for the glory 
of God. Your fruit— unto holiness, and your 
end — everlasting life. 



200 NATURAL AFFECTION. 



XIX. 

Without Natukal Affection. 

Has earth a scene more lovely than the fami- 
ly circle — father, mother, sons and daughters, 
well-bred, loving each other tenderly, and 
bending all their energies to do the will of God 
on earth, that they may finally gain the skies? 
I think not. Then how gladly they welcome 
additions to this lovely group. Baby, with its 
little pug nose, flaxen hair, ruddy cheeks, soft 
eyes, and such a sweet, expressible mouth, are 
sources of wondrous delight and admiration. 
How sad, indeed, must those families be that 
are not blessed with children. One of the 
grandest and most sublime features of the 
world that is to come will be the children. 
"For of such is the kingdom of heaven." 

The family relation is recognized by the Al- 
mighty as a holy relation. He gives us to un- 
derstand that children are a blessing, and not 
a curse. "Lo, children are a heritage of the 
Lord ; and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 
As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are 
children of the youth. Happy is the man that 



NATURAL AFFECTION. 201 

liatli his quiver full of them ;" for they shall 
be "like olive plants around thy table." And 
yet there are a great many that are ashamed of 
God's blessing. 

I wish right here to ask two questions, and 
answer them : What is the most precious thing 
that each generation has in its keeping? and 
what is that which it most neglects and under- 
values ? To both I make but one answer — 
Children. .In this sinful generation it is con- 
sidered by many a disgrace to give, or allow 
them to have a being, and they resort to meth- 
ods highly objectionable to gratify their li- 
censed sensuality. Thus they prevent life, or 
cause its destruction; I mean, they commit 
murder ! The wrath of God is poured out on 
the nations for the awful crime of child -mur- 
der. The man that whipped his child to death 
a few years since, in Western New York, 
aroused the indignation of every human being 
that was made acquainted with the affair. No 
one blushed to call it by its right name — mur- 
der ! And is it not murder to take the life of 
a human being at any age? and ought not 
murderers to be punished accordingly % Is it 
any the less a crime because it is fashionable, 
and millions are doing it ? And is it not time 
the veil was drawn aside and light from the 
pulpit and the press let in upon us brighter 



202 SOWING AND REAPING. 

than the sun at noonday, until public opinion 
shall be thoroughly aroused, and condemna- 
tion written on the guilty. To have children 
is a duty equal with any of the responsibilities 
of life. "Multiply and replenish the earth," 
was the command God gave to Adam and Eve; 
and this was repeated after the flood. God 
says again, "I will that the younger women 
marry, bear children, guide the house, give 
none occasion for the adversary to speak re- 
proachfully." Save us, O Lord, from false 
modesty, and give us natural affection, for Je- 
sus' sake. Amen. 



XX. 

Sowing and Reaping. 

It is said that like causes will produce like 
results in all ages of the world. This is true, 
both in a moral and temporal point of view. 
If we sow wheat, corn, barley, thistles, we 
shall reap the same. Whatever our doings are, 
it will bring forth its legitimate fruit. "For 



SOWING AND REAPING. 203 

whatever a man soweth that shall he also reap. 
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh 
reap corruption ; but he that soweth to the 
spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting." 
This has been clearly demonstrated in many 
places where costly churches have been built. 
The spirit of emulation has taken possession 
of the people, especially in church building. 
They desire greatly to go beyond their neigh- 
bor in this ; and in most cases, they have gone 
in their planning operations far beyond their 
means; consequently, they are compelled to 
resort to the lottery department, pic-nics, soci- 
ables, banquetings, excursions, ice-cream, 
strawberry, and necktie parties, to carry for- 
ward the grand enterprise. One case will il- 
lustrate the many of this character ; and yet, 
the results may not in every case be as sad as 
the one I now refer to. But nevertheless, 
pride, worldly conformity, spiritual death, will 
follow all such departures from the old land- 
marks. A society in this city have been strug* 
gling along for some yeais, in all the ways 
mentioned above, to raise money to build a 
costly church. The last banquet this society 
held (which was of the necktie order) proved 
very disastrous to some members of the church 
in their domestic relations, if not their eternal 
ruin. I took the following extract from the 



204 SOWING AND REAPING. 

Sunday Mercury, which shows the nature of 
the seed sown : 

"Of Twentieth street M. E. Church, Phila- 
delphia, the brethren and sisters have been 
having a calico festival. By Sister Boyer, in 
New Jersey, the wrinkle was learned. Of the 
pattern corresponding to her apron, each sister 
deposited a gentleman's necktie. By the gen- 
tleman, for a quarter of a dollar, the sister 
whose apron the article matched the pattern of 
his purchase, he was permitted "piously" to 
"treat." By Brother Broin the party was 
opened. Sweet Sister Carrigan the brother 
led out. The more neck-ties of different pat- 
terns a brother purchased, the more sisters of 
course he "treated." Among the heavy buy- 
ers were Brother Kent and Brother Hoffman. 
What worried Sister Hoffman was that the re- 
ligious writer of the Mercury might "be about." 
Of Sister Busby the apron was the handsom- 
est. Brother Roberts on six neck-ties made 
investment. So, also, did Bartine. Altogether 
the festival was a success." 

This is about the w^ay these things move; 
and — yet, there were things connected with 
this party of a grave character. A brother— a 
man having a family — a steward, and a leading 
man in the society, purchased a neck-tie. He 
very soon found a young damsel, whose apron 



SOWING AND REAPING. 205 

corresponded with the neck-tie just purchased. 
He, of course, according to the rule of the par- 
ty, was bound (to use a bar-room phrase), to 
"treat" her. She took his arm, and away they 
went to the place prepared for refreshments. 
The brother's wife was present, and while look- 
ing upon the scene, her husband, joking, tri- 
fling, spreeing — and that with a woman he had 
no right to— no right within such relations; 
she became disgusted, indignant, at such a de- 
parture from pure religion — yea, from common 
decency and respectability. 

Late at night they returned home, the wife 
with injured feelings, the husband delirious 
from the effects of the exciting scenes that he 
had just passed through. We would gladly draw 
a veil over the scene that followed, but God 
must be honored, the truth must be told. The 
balance of the night was spent in unpleasant 
words. In the morning, the husband repairs 
to a drinking saloon and gets drunk, which he 
continues to do. His family — a wife and a 
very lovely daughter, eleven years of age, took 
the matter very much to heart, weeping and 
wailing almost incessantly, which brought on 
the daughter a violent disease, and in a few 
days, death ! The wife is very much worn 
down by grief, and expects in a few days to 
follow the daughter. If we sow to the fleshy we 



206 SOWING AND REAPING. 

shall of the flesh reap corruption. A mistaken 
idea prevails among many religionists, that the 
end (if it be a laudable one) sanctifies the 
means ; and this prevails to an alarming ex- 
tent ; hence, the resorting to many ways con- 
demned of God, and by most, if not all, our 
legitimate bodies, who declare lotteries to be 
gambling, and are prohibited by law ; and, 
yet, many professors of the grace of God re- 
sort to this, to raise means to build costly 
churches, and carry forward what they call 
the work of the Lord. u Shall we do evil that 
good may come \ God forbid I" 

' 'No room for mirth or trifling here, 
For worldly hope, or worldly fear, 

If life so soon is gone ; 
If now the Judge is at the door, 
And all mankind must stand before 

The inexorable throne ! 
No matter which my thoughts employ, 
A moment's misery or joy ; 

But, O ! when both shall end, 
Where shall I find my destined place ? 
Shall I my everlasting days, 

With fiends or angels spend ? 
Nothing is worth a thought beneath, 
But how I may escape the death, 

That never, never dies ! 
How shall I make my election sure ; 
And when I fail on earth, secure 

A mansion in the skies !" 



ACTUAL SETTLERS. 207 

Dear reader, remember every act goes to the 
account ; every vain and trifling word ; every 
misspent hour ; every neglected Sabbath ; every 
time Christ has been offered you and rejected ; 
every gospel sermon that you have heard and 
have not given heed thereto ; every profane 
word uttered ; every lie told — yea, every act of 
life, and all the upbraidings of conscience, are 
treasures of wrath laid up for you to reap 
through all eternity ! But if you have been 
sowing to the Spirit, life everlasting. Be not 
deceived, God is not mocked. 



XXI. 

To Actual Settlers. 

Our government has been very generous in 
making a law, giving to every man a home- 
stead, upon the simple condition that he will 
settle upon it. To enjoy this he must be an 
actual settler. He may talk much of the 



208 ACTUAL SETTLERS. 

beautiful West, how inviting it is ; how in- 
dependent people become who go West; how 
strong his desires are to go, and that he means 
to go; but unless he packs up and moves on, he 
will never get there; he will never know any- 
thing about the grandeur of possessing a home 
in the West. 

God has provided a home in the land of Ca- 
naan, the land of perfect love for all actual set- 
tlers. Holiness is a blessed theme; many love 
to talk about it, and speculate about the fruit 
that grows in that fair clime, where the sun 
never goes down; "a land of corn, and wine, 
and oil, favored with God's peculiar smile, with 
every blessing blest." There are no obnoxious 
weeds, such as anger displayed in kicking 
back; no pride, as seen in the wearing of gold, 
and pearls, and costly attire; no gay churches, 
too grand for the poor. 

No, blessed be God, in that land of perfect 
love all is pure; the fountain-head is holy. 
Every desire is unto the Lord. The stream of 
life is without mixture, full of health and life 
eternal. But as lovely as this land may be, to 
possess it we must move upon it, be actual set- 
tlers. When we purchase a farm and pay our 
money for the same, we receive a warrantee 
deed, made out correctly, signed by proper 
authorities, and sealed by the government 



ACTUAL SETTLEPwS. 209 

seal. It is precisely so with those that settle 
down upon a homestead in the land of perfect 
love; their title is made as clear as ten thou- 
sand suns could make it. The Holy Ghost 
writes, 'Tis done, the great transaction is done; 
"thou art cleansed from all unrighteousness," 
and this produces a sensation and the soul cries 
out, "Glory to God!" Then comes a very 
comfortable feeling, "I am washed in the 
blood of the Lamb." "His Spirit beareth wit- 
ness to this great truth, that w r e are citizens of 
the heavenly Jerusalem." "Now we have re- 
ceived not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit 
which is of God; that we might know the 
things that are freely given to us of God." A 
homestead or entire sanctification is one of the 
things that are freely given to us of God, and 
it is the office of the Holy Ghost to make us 
know that we have received it. 



210 the widow's mite. 



XXII. 

The Widow^s Mite. 

A few days since, while visiting the United 
States mint, 1 was deeply impressed with vari- 
ous objects of interest that I saw there. 

The scales for weighing metals, to the 
amount of one hundred thousandth part of an 
ounce. The dies, for stamping coin, requiring 
a pressure of eighty tons. Here, I saw the 
ooin used by different nations; some of great 
value, others of less. Bat what impressed me 
the most was a piece of money called, the 
widow's mite; supposed to be worth one half 
farthing. 

I gazed with intense interest upon the 
widow's mite; and at the same time, my 
thoughts ran back to the time, when Jesus 
stood opposite the treasury, and saw the rich 
casting in their abundance, unto the Lord, 
when along came a poor widow, and cast in 
two mites. How little, I thought, as I com- 
pared "the mite," with the large pieces of 
silver and gold that were upon either side. I 
presume that many that witnessed the above 



THE WIDOW'S MITE. 211 

transaction, recorded by St. Mark, thought, 
u how insignificant the offering. " There was 
one present, whose eye of flame penetrates the 
very intents of the heart, thought differently. 
He, declaring to the multitude that, the poor 
widow's mite was in His estimation, greater 
than the large amounts cast in by the rich. 
There are reasons, wliy, the blessed Jesus put 
such high value on the widow's mite. 

First, she made sacrifice of all her living. 
She gave to the extent of her ability. In mak- 
ing her consecration, she did not retain a part, 
as did Ananias and Saphira; but placed her- 
self squarely upon the Gospel platform, where 
she could fully trust the Lord, and claim His 
favor. Jesus says, "Give, and it shall be given 
to you; good measure pressed down, and 
shaken together, and running over, shall men 
give into your bosom. For with what meas- 
ure ye mete withal it shall be measured to you 
again." 

Second. She gave, cheerfully — 
* 'For God loveth a cheerful giver. ' ' 

"For if there be first a willing mind it is ac- 
cepted according to that a man hath, and not 
according to that he hath not." 

Thirdly. She gave her mite, in faith ; for 
what is not of faith is sin. She doubtless re- 
alized, that all of our offerings to God must be 



212 the widow's mite. 

in faith in order to be acceptable. Many lose 
their reward in giving, because they do not 
give cheerfully, but grudgingly ; not to the 
extent of their ability, nor as much as the case 
demands, or conscience, and the Holy Ghost 
says give ; not in faith, but doubting, because 
an unwillingness on their part to walk in the 
light. 

This class never prove the fulness of the 
blessing of the Gospel of Christ; "pressed 
down, shaken together, and running over." 
Jesus says, "That it is more blessed to give 
than to receive." Glory to God ! 

Here, is encouragement to give of our sub- 
stance as God hath prospered us. There is no 
investment that we can make with our goods 
that pays so well as to give to him that need- 
eth ; and especially, to the house-hold of faith. 
And to those that have but a mite to give, it 
shall receive its reward ; if it be to the extent 
of our ability, if it be done cheerfully ; and if 
in faith, because we love God, and the souls 
and bodies of perishing men. 



ARE WE DRIFTING ? 213 



XXIII. 

Aee We Drifting I 

Yes I hope so — out into the ocean of infinite 
love; away from the dangerous reefs of form- 
alism; away from the universal spread of pride 
and vanity; away from the devil's most success- 
ful snare, secretism; away from the abomin- 
able, filthy habit of whiskey-drinking and to- 
bacco using, and all its slimy associations; 
away from the cramping, belittling, soul- 
destroying, man-debasing element — covetous- 
ness; far away from all longings after the 
world, its pleasures, its allurements, its honors, 
its riches, and plunging into ail the fulness of 
God. It's glorious thus to drift; to have a 
consciousness that you abide in Christ; that 
you are growing in grace; that you are gaining 
on your enemies; that your faith overcomes the 
world; that you are taking greater delight, day 
by day, in the things of life and immortality. O, 
glory to God for the assurance that the saints 
have that they are getting nearer and neareo? 
to God every day, drifting out into the great 
abyss of God's eternal love. 



214 ARE WE DRIFTING % 

To the question so often propounded — u Are 
We Drifting ?" — I can answer for myself, / 
am, according to the above. Glory to the 
Lamb forever! Although T am drifting, mov- 
ing along with giant strides by the mighty 
waves of free grace, yet I never felt so com- 
pletely anchored to Christ as now. I have a 
hope that is an anchor to my soul. It's cast to 
that within the veil, and it's both sure and 
steadfast. It holds my vessel steadily on her 
course, 'midst all storms of life. It matters 
not how high the billows may roll, how fierce 
the storms may beat against my frail bark, I 
am safe. I ride proudly above the waves, be- 
cause I am anchored to the eternal Rock of 
Ages. Vessels often break loose from their 
moorings, because their anchorage is poor. It 
may be their anchor is dropped in the sand or 
mud. In either case, they will drift until their 
anchor takes hold on rock, or she drifts ashore 
and is wrecked. It is so with us. If our an- 
chor is cast into any of the elements of this 
world, we shall drift, not into Christ, but 
away from him, and become wrecks. How 
sad it is to find wrecks all along life's way! to 
see those that were once saved of God, moving 
on to Mount Zion with songs, and everlasting 
joy upon their heads; they did obtain joy and 
gladness, and sorrow and sighing did flee away; 



AEE WE DRIFTING ? 215 

but now, alas! How is the fine gold become 
dim. 

Which way areyotc drifting ! Do you enjoy 
perfect love ? Are you as clear in your ex- 
perience as when you joined the Church 1 
Are you walking in all the light that God lets 
shine upon your heart \ Does the light shine 
as clear as in bygone days \ Do you have 
sensible manifestations of God' s presence \ Do 
you have the joy of the Lord \ Do you really 
get blessed of God? Do you rejoice evermore? 
Do you in everything give thanks ? Do yon 
love the cross f Is the way that God leads 
you delightful \ And can you sing — 
1 'Jesus all the day long-, 
Is my joy and my song?" 
Now, can you, from the very bottom of your 
heart, say Yes/ to these questions ? If so, I 
think that you are drifting heavenward; if not, 
hellward. 

Which way are you drifting \ 



216 pap. 



XXIV. 

Pap. 

Webster says the word "pap" means "soft 
food designed for children or infants." Child- 
ren, whose stomachs are weak and unable to 
digest hearty food, have to be fed on this. It 
requires but little effort of nature to dispose of 
this kind of food. 

We have in Zion a great many aged infants 
that require this kind of spiritual provender. 
You feed them with the solid roast beef of the 
gospel, and immediately they are in cramps 
and spasms ; and 0, such waitings of displeas- 
ure. It is as true to-day as when St. Paul 
wrote to the Corinthian brethren, there are 
many that ought to be full grown men and 
women in spiritual attainments, but are mere 
babes, and have to be fed on infant's food ; and 
the only way that many can be persuaded to 
remain in the church, or even to make a half- 
way profession of the religion of Jesus Christ, 
is to give them large doses of this precious diet. 
Many will hang on tremendously, and pull 
mightily, so long as they receive that attention 



pap. 217 

and nursing that their infantile natures de- 
mand, but as soon as that stops then comes 
the chills. 

The cause lies in the fact, they were not 
weaned. The Psalmist says, "Surely, I have 
behaved and quieted myself as a child that is 
weaned of his mother : my soul is even as a 
weaned child." If you want to spoil a child, 
indulge him in all that delights his fancy. 
Our heavenly Father knows better than to in- 
dulge his children in all their wants. He has 
promised to give us what we need — not all we 
want? "My God shall supply all your need, 
according to his riches in glory by Christ 
Jesus." The best discipline that we get in 
this life, is to learn to deny self. The direct 
route to glory lies along that line. "Jf any 
man will come after me, let him deny himself, 
and take up his cross and follow me." A radi- 
cal cure is experienced in bearing the cross. 
This will crucify us to self, and our longing to 
be rocked and dandled at the expense of every- 
body. Bearing the cross, helping the souls 
and bodies of men as they need, and as you 
are blessed with means and opportunity will 
cause you to outgrow all of your infantile no- 
tions. It is gloriously possible to be fully 
saved in this life ; to run the whole length of 
the Christian race with joy and gladness ; go 



218 VICTORY. 

on forced marches ; yea, on the double quick, 
carrying heavy knapsacks of sorrow and afflic- 
tion, rejoicing evermore, and in everything giv- 
ing thanks. 



XXV. 

Victory. 

It is impossible to have a victory, until we- 
have had a fight. It would be impossible to 
shout the shout of victory, unless it had been 
fairly gained. In order to win a victory we 
must fight. The route from earth to glory is 
through the battle field. "We must fight if 
we would reign." Thank God, w r e fight not 
against flesh and blood, but against powers, 
against principalities, against the rulers of the 
darkness of this world, against spiritual wicked- 
ness in high places. Many a Christian war- 
rior comes from the field of battle with an in- 
glorious defeat, because he fails to properly 
estimate the strength of his enemy. Nations 
have suffered fearful defeats because thejr 



VICTORY. 219* 

failed to estimate the character and strength 
of their foes. When our rebellion broke out, 
Lincoln called for 75,000 men to put it down. 
A great many at the North said the 75,000 men 
could conquer the South before breakfast ; but 
Bull Run told another story. What a sight ! 
implements of war scattered all the way fiom 
Bull Run to Washington ! 

How many of Zion's soldiers have started 
out, full of hope and courage, giving promise 
of wonderful achievements, but alas ! the very 
first foe, the skirmish line, and perhaps that 
w r as no mere than a simple sneer from the 
devil, and defeat followed ; like Ahab, pierced 
between the joints of the harness, they were 
borne from the field of battle on the litter of 
discouragem ent. 

The hospitals all over the land are full of 
wounded soldiers ; those who went into battle 
full of zeal, but failed to estimate the job they 
had on hand, were captured, and are now in 
the hands of their enemies. Ask such to shout 
victory ! It would be for them an impossibility. 
They are prisoners of war. 

God expects us not only to fight, but to win. 
We ought to go from every battle flushed with 
victory. The Word says, "Fight the good 
fight of faith ; lay hold on eternal life." That 
is, obtain victory in every place ; the closet, at 



220 VICTORY. 

the family altar, in the prayer meeting, when 
the word of God is preached, among the child- 
ren, in the kitchen, parlor, trade and com- 
merce, when laboring to bring poor sinners to 
Zion, paying your vows unto the Lord, help- 
ing on the gospel as God has prospered you 
with means, and in every place and under all 
circumstances, let victory be written upon your 
banner. It is shameful to suffer defeat. u This 
is the victory that overcometh the world, even 
our faith." How sickening to simply play 
fight and never know what a square victory 
means. 

God has provided for our complete success 
in every engagement. We may be clad with 
heavenly armour sufficient to make the weakest 
saint victorious. The idea of being on the sick 
list half or two-thirds of the time is extreme 
folly. If you have on the whole armour of 
God, you will stand complete in all the will of 
God, and never know defeat. 

' 'Courage ! your Captain cries, 
Who all your toil foreknew — 

Toil ye shall have, yet all despise ; 
I have o'ercome for you." 

Think of it ! The Master has overcome for 

you ! Glory to God ! 



LOCK UP. 221 



XXVI. 
Lock Up. 

Boats, when running on canals, do not go 
far on a level, before they come to a lock. This 
is made of solid masonry, with two sets of 
gates, upper and lower. The water above the 
lock is from five to fifteen feet higher than the 
water below. In order that the vessel may 
pass through and pursue her journey, she must 
enter the lock, shut the lower gates, turn a 
wicket in the upper gate which will let in water 
from above, filling the lock, and raising the 
boat to the level above ; the gates will then 
open, she will pass out and pursue her jour- 
ney. 

Now, is it not very much so in our religious 
experience ? When converted, we enter the 
channel of life. We run on this level for a 
season ; with some, much longer than others ; 
all, perhaps, too long. On some canals, levels 
are very short ; but all, that are born of the 
Spirit, very early in their experience come to 



222 lock up. 

a point where they must take advance ground, 
lock up ! or go back. We must go into the 
lock, shut the gates behind us, leave no possi- 
ble chance for retreat. This locking up might 
represent reconsecrating ourselves to God. In 
doing this, we ought to be very specific. Dis- 
criminate under the blazing light of the Holy 
Ghost. Humble yourself under the hand of 
God, by confessing your failures, making 
wrongs right, and God will lift you up. Be 
thorough. Do not be satisfied to run on the 
same experience, day in and day out ; week in 
and week out ; month in and month out ; year 
in and year out. Alas ! alas ! how many run 
in this way, on the same level until it becomes 
a dead level ! In some cases it would be impos- 
sible to tell whether there was any current 
either way. When we first enter the channel 
of life, we have peace with God through our 
Lord Jesus Christ. "By whom also we have 
access by faith into this grace wherein we 
stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of 
God ; and not only so, but we glory in 
tribulation also knowing that tribulation work- 
eth patience, and patience experience, and 
experience hope: and hope maketh not 
ashamed, because the love of God is shed 
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which 
is given unto us." What we- greatly need 



lock up. 223 

in many places among us, is to lock up into 
the faith that will give us access into the rich 
experiences that were once delivered unto the 
saints ; Elijah, Paul, Hester Ann Rogers, Car- 
vosso, Bramwell, Fletcher, Wesley, Madam 
Guvon, Muller, and a host of others. Then, 
the communion of faith and love will bear us 
up to things above I said that to elevate a 
boat from a lower level to a higher one, w r ater 
was let in from above. It is precisely so in 
the Christian life. If we aim at obedience, be- 
coming more holy, of living a purer life, in 
walking in all of God's ordinances blameless, 
we must go often into the lock of crucifixion ; 
then the water of life will come in from above 
in living streams, and our experience will be 
clearer than the noonday sun. Like the tree 
planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth 
fruit in its season, our leaf also will not wither. 
I want to ask, my dear brethren and sisters 
of our beloved Zion, don't you think it is time 
that you locked up % Why tarry % Remember 
your vows to God and the church. Press for 
the mark! " Ye shall receive power, after the 
Holy Ghost is come upon you." Bend all 
your energies for the summit level. 



224 success. 



XXVII. 

Success. 

Success in any department of life, depends 
upon the right use of right means ; at the 
right time ; in the right place, and in the right 
manner. Like causes will produce like results 
in all ages of the world. Hence the farmer 
wishing to raise wheat, breaks up the soil, 
sows his seed, and waits patiently for the 
early and latter rain with the assurance 
"that seed-time and harvest will notfail;" and 
with rejoicing he gathers thirty, sixty or a 
hundred fold into his barn. This is also true 
of spiritual things. Success is certain to the 
man called of God to preach, if he avails him- 
self of the right means, employs them at the 
right time, and in the right manner. 

1. The means to be employed is the Word 
of God; and this must come forth like a stream 
of fire, from a heart blazing with the love of 
God. The command is, "Preach the Word." 
Into this armory man may enter, and take to 
himself just the weapons that will give him 



success. 225 

victory on every battle-field. I thank God! he 
may be thoroughly furnished, and never know 
defeat. U A11 scripture is given by inspiration 
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for re- 
proof, for correction, for instruction in right- 
eousness, that the man of God may be perfect 
thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 
But there is more to follow; u Create in me a 
clean heart, God; and renew a right spirit 
within me. Cast me not away from thy pres- 
ence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. 
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and 
uphold me by thy free Spirit. Then will I 
teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners sliall 
be converted unto thee " Here success is based 
upon being tlioi ouglily furnished with heaven' s 
panoply, the blessing of a clean heart, and pos- 
sessing the joy of the Lord. The more I search 
God's Word, the more I am convinced that he 
has provided means for the complete subjuga- 
tion of this world to himself. He never de- 
signed that defeat should be written upon our 
banners, but that we should press the enemy 
to the very gates of hell. fc \He that goeth 
forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall 
doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing 
his sheaves with him." Here is a declaration 
from God who cannot lie, that, if we go forth 
in his strength, having renewed within us a 



226 success. 

right spirit, the spirit that will cause us to weep 
over sinners lost, as Jesus wept over Jerusalem, 
and erring Samaria, with this spirit, clad in 
armor all divine, we shall come forth from 
every field of battle, bringing our sheaves with 
us. But in order to wield heaven's artillery 
successfully, an experimental knowledge of the 
same is necessary. u The laborer must first be 
partaker of the fruit." 

2. As to time and manner. "Not slothful 
in business; fervent in spirit; serving the 
Lord." In order to make full proof of our 
ministry, every redeemed power must be in 
complete harmony with God; employed at the 
right time, place, and in the right manner ; by 
being instant in season, and out of season; re- 
prove, rebuke ? exhort, with all long suffering 
and doctrine. 

And God who is ever faithful, will make us 
successful in winning souls to himself, and 
leading on believers to the promised land of 
perfect love. ' 



MIGHT BE A SUCCESS. 227 



XXVIII. 
They Might be a Success. 

There is, just now, considerable inquiry by 
some portions of the Methodist family, how to 
make their class -meetings a success — how make 
them more spiritual — how get the members to 
attend them. 

I have a recipe which answers the above, and 
proves a success in all cases. In order to get 
a perfect understanding of the idea, I will re- 
late a circumstance: When a boy I learned to 
hunt bees. The country was new, and bees 
were often found in hollow trees — frequently 
with a large amount of honey. In order to 
find where the bees lived, I took a box about 
ten inches long, six wide, and six deep, with a 
glass cover. I would place in this box about 
one pound of honey. I would then catch a bee 
from off some flower, and put him in the box 
with the honey, then put the box in some clear 
place where the sun could shine upon it. When 
the bee had filled himself with the honey, he 
would fly away to the tree where he lived, al- 
ways going in a straight line. He would soon 



228 MIGHT BE A SUCCESS. 

deposit, and return, bringing several more 
bees with him. These would fill themselves 
and fly aw 7 ay to the tree, deposit, and return, 
with perhaps an increase of fifty bees. By 
some process the bees would communicate the 
fact that they had found honey, so on every 
return trip their numbers rapidly increased, 
until it seemed the whole hive was after the 
honey. 

Now, let a class-leader find the honey— get 
it in his own soul — the honey of perfect love — 
the real thing — not a guess so affair, but a posi- 
tive holiness ; holiness that comes by a perfect 
consecration, with a clear endorsement of the 
Holy Gfhost ; holiness that shines as clear as 
the sun at noonday ; opposed to all pomp and 
display ; arrayed against the devil and all his 
works ; that is dead to the world and alive to 
God ; holiness that has love divine in every 
element, running through every vein, and fibre, 
and muscle of his spiritual and intellectual be- 
ing. This will be the real honey. Yea, 
sweeter than honey and the honey-comb. Then 
you will talk salvation — not simply about sal- 
vation, — you will talk it. The real honey will 
flow out in your words, and songs of praise, as 
water flowed from the smitten rock. A hal- 
lowed influence wall attend you everywhere. 
"The wilderness and the solitary place shall 



FEAR, OE THE 229 

be glad" for you; "and the desert shall re- 
joice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom 
abundantly, and rejoice with singing." Then 
your members will be charmed with your 
godly conversation. They will come to class 
to hear you talk of Jesus' wondrous saving 
power — how he saves you from sin and sinning. 
And while you talk the fire will burn. They 
will catch the flame and carry the glad tidings 
to others, and they to others, until the whole 
church will be on fire with God's love. This 
recipe is exceedingly good for ministers of the 
gospel, and in fact for everybody. Try it 



XXIX. 

Fear, or the Scare-Crow t Devil. 

Farmers, frequently put up some frightful ob- 
ject in their corn-fields to scare away the crows — 
preventing them from pulling up and eating 
the corn. The devil works in like manner, to 



230 SCAEE CROW DEVIL. 

prevent honest souls from partaking of the real 
corn of the kingdom. He succeeds remarkably 
well, if by any means the saints are prevented 
from getting blessed, baptized with the Holy 
Ghost, and made all alive in Christ Jesus, and 
sinners converted to (rod. He don't care how 
much religion we profess, if we are only desti- 
tute of real piety. 

He loves to have us profess a giant's grace 
if, in fact, w r e are empty. This scare-crow, 
when simmered down to a. philosophical point, 
is Fear. It often presents the very frightful 
character of Wildfire, Fanaticism, Nazarite y 
etc. The Devil is excedingly busy, on all oc- 
casions, at every means of grace, especially at 
quarterly and camp-meeting, to prevent the 
work of grace. One of the strangest things in 
connection with this work is that, the saints 
professedly, will help the Devil do his mis- 
erable work of unfurling the scare-crow ban- 
ner. How many inglorious defeats we have as 
"Pilgrims," all through fear. Fear of what? 
Why, our reputation is at stake. Some are 
afraid the saints will shout more than is meet ; 
others that they will jump too high ; or the 
glory that is unutterable will become unman- 
ageable in some w r ay ; or that the car of salva- 
tion wall get out of the groove of modern quiet, 
still no excitement, sweet, precious holiness 



FEAR, SCAKE-CKOW DEVIL. 231 

that disturbs nobody, kills nobody, resurrects 
nobody, leaving all in the cold embrace of 
death. From such we say, Good Lord, deliver 
us. 

It is exceedingly distressing to be where the 
work is managed by men full of fear. If a 
saint happens to get blessed, their appearance, 
the peculiar noise made, the length of the amen, 
the terror produced among the unsaved, all 
must be critically tested by their rules of pro- 
priety. What we need is perfect love that 
casteth out fear ; especially this tormenting 
fear. 

He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 
"For God has not given us the spirit of fear ; 
but of power and love, and of a sound mind." 
Thank God! we maybe delivered out of the 
hand of our enemies, and serve him witliout 
fear, in holiness and righteousness before him 
all the days of our life" 

"Grive to the wind your fears, 
Hope and be undismayed." 

u For whom the Son maketh free, shall be 
free indeed." 



232 TRUST. 



XXX. 

Trust. 

There are those that know what the word 
" trust" means; they know what it is to trust 
God for soul and body, for time and eternity. 
They have given themselves to him by a per- 
fect consecration ; not merely lip-work, but a 
consecration that has entered into their very 
life; every item has been carefully put on the 
altar, and then watched — the fowls kept away 
until fire from off God Almighty's burning 
altar has fallen upon it and consumed it. They 
have become a living sacrifice; dead indeed 
unto sin, and alive unto God. They realize 
that they are not their own; that they have 
been bought with a price — even the precious 
blood. They are no longer carnally minded, 
but spiritually minded; no more seek after the 
flesh, but after the Spirit; no more desire the 
applause of the world, but the glory of God. 



TRUST. 233 

Like the birds of the air, they trust God for 
their daily bread, — and glory be to his holy 
name, they are not disappointed. Cut off from 
every other resource, they lean with all their 
might on Him that is mighty to save, and 
help in every time of need. Though storms and 
clouds may gather about them, they are not 
dismayed, for above all a voice comes from 
Him who controls the winds and calms the 
tempest, saying "I will never leave thee, nor 
forsake thee." 

It is perfectly impossible to trust in God 
with all the heart, so long as we are trusting in 
earthly good, of whatever kind or character it 
may be. O, how precious it is to trust in God 
with all the heart, to have every shore line cut 
— launching out into the deep of his eternal 
love; drinking continually from the stream 
that makes glad the city of our God; trusting 
him every moment for soul and body, wisdom, 
and the spirit to guide us in all the affairs oj: 
life. 

Trusting in God implies being saved to the 
uttermost — walking in all the commandments 
blameless! Trusting implies victory over all 
sin — the world, the flesh and the devil. Trust- 
ing implies peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. 
Ct They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount 
Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth 



234 SEEING EYE TO EYE. 

forever." "Blessed is the man that trusteth 
in Thee." 

1 'Lord, I'm trusting now in thee, 
Dear Lamb of Calvary, 
At thy cross I humbly bow-, 
Jesus saves me, saves me now." 



XXXI. 

Seeing Eye to Eye. 

The more I experience of light and love shed 
abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost, the 
more I am led to believe that all that get fully 
saved see things in the same light ; i. e., eye to 
eye. I mean those things which are essential 
to faith and practice. If the Holy Ghost is 
our teacher and the things taught us are a 
knowledge of ourselves, our destination — how 
to secure eternal life — then all would receive 
the same instruction. 

"Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of Truth is 
come, he will guide you into all truth." — St. 



SEEING EYE TO EYE. 235 

John xvi. 12. "He shall glorify me; for he 
shall receive of mine, and show it unto you." — ! 
St. John xvi. 14. "But the Comforter, which 
is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send 
in my name, he shall teach you all things, and 
bring all things to your remembrance, whatso- 
ever I have said unto you." — St. John xiv. 26. 

This teaching will be in harmony with God's 
Word, and that the Holy Ghost will make 
plain to our understanding. Without this, the 
Word of God, so far as practice and experience 
are concerned, is a sealed book ! But with the 
Holy Ghost shining upon the sacred page, all 
is luminous. Glory to God ! 

Worldly conformity, in all its moods and 
tenses, is as clear as sunbeams. This gives you 
an altitude of experience that all the real saints 
attain. Placing you where Moses stood, on 
Pisgah's top, you view the surroundings at a 
glance. This experience puts away strife and 
an unholy ambition for position. It brings an 
end to controversy between preacher and mem- 
bers. He can preach the whole truth touching 
any point of faith and practice with an ac- 
companiment of hearty aniens, and the high 
praises of God, instead of murmuring and com* 
plaining. How many come into the church 
with the light shining upon them; they prom- 
ise to walk in the light; they have let go of the 



236 SEEING EYE TO EYE. 

world and renounced the hidden things of dis- 
honesty; put on plain attire; given up their 
covetousness: have been a great blessing to the 
church and cause of Christ. But in an evil 
hour they have let go of Christ, and brought 
darknesss upon their souls, and are now ready 
to condemn what they once endorsed. The 
reason why so many oppose the real work of 
God, is, because the Holy Ghost is not their 
teacher; if he was, they would see eye to eye 
with God's real workmen. Then there would 
be u a long pull — a strong pull — and a pull al- 
together," and the work of the Lord would 
move gloriously in all our borders. Rain 
would fall in all parts of the land. The wilder- 
ness would blossom as the rose; the voice of 
the turtle would be heard; showers of grace, 
the conversion of sinners, and the sanctification 
of believers would be an every day realization. 
Oh ! for a mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost 
on our beloved Zion, amen. How important 
that we see eye to eye! u How can two walk 
together, except they are agreed? What fel- 
lowship hath light with darkness? And what 
concord hath Christ with Belial? or he that 
believeth with an infidel." In view of these 
facts we need to be exceedingly cautious who 
we receive into our communion, whether it be 
church, or what is commonly termed social re- 



EYE TO EYE — EDGE OEF. 237 

lations. "But now I have written unto you 
not to keep company, if any man that is called 
a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an 
idolater, or arailer, or a drunkard, or an extor- 
tioner; with such an one, no not to eat." — 1 
Cor. v. II. How, then, can the saint of God 
unite in holy wedlock with an unsaved person? 
How can a young lady, professedly a saint, 
keep company and allow herself to be waited 
upon by an ungodly man? How can a saint 
enter into copartnership in business relations, 
and allow the partner to keep rum and tobacco 
anywhere on the premises? If our eye be 
single, our whole bodies shall be full of light. 



XXXII. 

The Edge Oef. 

There are many in these days that once en- 
joyed the keen edge of perfect love. It was 
round about them like a wall of fire. It was 



238 THE EDGE OFF. 

seen in their faces. It beamed out in sacred 
song, in fervent prayer ; in their testimony it 
cut its way through like a two-edged sword, 
causing sinners to cry for mercy, and the saints 
to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of 
glory. It was manifest in the tone of voice ; 
in the very look ; it was not wanting in exhor- 
tation, and in preaching, the word was in 
power and in "demonstration of the Spirit." 

It gave a freshness to all their labor, and 
they were emphatically "the lights of the 
world" — "living epistles, known and read of 
all men." Their experience was positive; 
nothing doubtful or misty, but the genuine 
ring of the pure metal. They passed current 
for one hundred cents on the dollar. They did 
not repudiate a single claim the Almighty had 
upon them, but endorsed the whole of God's 
Word from Genesis to Revelation ; hence they 
lived under the direct rays of the Son of right- 
eousness, causing even the desert to blossom 
as the rose. But now, alas ! alas ! how changed. 
The gloom of night is upon them. They go 
with their heads down like a bullrush. They 
make the same motions as formerly, but the 
power is gone, the edge is off. 

O, my dear brother, sister, let me exhort 
you to edge up. Just put your head on the 
grindstone of humble confession ; make all 



THE OLD SALT-LICK. 239 

wrongs right, so far as you have the power and 
ability to do so. You will be perfectly aston- 
ished at the result, if you will just take the 
back track to the cross, and theu renewedly 
consecrate your all to Go I for time and eter- 
nity. Rest not a moment until you are fully 
restored ; until love, yea, perfect love, sits en- 
throned in your heart, and you can sing, — 

"O love divine, how sweet thou art, 

Now I have found my willing heart, 
All taken up by thee." 



XXXIII. 

The Old Salt-Lick. 

When living at Dryden, I was very much 
impressed with an incident that came under 
my observation quite often. It was this : Just 
in front of my house was a lot which had been 
used a number of years for pasturing cattle. 
There was one spot near my house, where they 
had in the past salted them. But time and 



240 THE OLD SALT-LICK. 

rain had, to all appearance, washed away every 
bit of salt! The place had been so thoroughly 
"licked," that neither grass nor weeds grew 
there. A horse was pastured in that lot dur- 
ing the summer of my stay there. Every day 
that poor old horse might be seen at that old 
"salt-lick," lapping the dry sand and gravel. 
I presume that same old horse had been past- 
ured there when some kind hand had dispensed 
real salt to the beast. 

I was led to reflect on this wise : How many 
that profess to be Christians, that once enjoyed 
the favor of God, and took great delight in 
meeting the saints, and hearing the words of 
life preached. These used to be seasons of 
great refreshing from the presence of the Lord. 
The real bread of life was broken with the 
Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, while 
shouts of victory and the divinely inspired 
amens were richly interspersed during these 
gatherings. Preachers once thought the Holy 
Ghost an indispensable in feeding the sheep — 
not only so, they placed the salt where it could 
be had, and the sheep liked it. How strange 
it is to see those that once fed on real manna, 
(salt) corn, and wine, and oil, now satisfied in 
licking dry sand and gravel — earthly pleas- 
ures ; a religion that has no Holy Ghost in it ; 
a simple skeleton, bones without meat ; yea, 



THE OLD SALT-LICK. 241 

the sensuality of a godless world. Is it not a 
fact, that multitudes, as specified above, feed 
on the carrion of this poor world, and call it 
salvation ? and then wonder why they do not 
see such displays of God's power as our fathers 
did. Thank God— 

"There is a place where Jesus sheds 
The oil of gladness on our heads. " 

A great many have said to me, "I have not 
had a square meal in a long time. We get 
occasionally a few crumbs." Bless God ! our 
Father is rich. If you will pay the price you 
can eat the good of the land. 

"Rejoicing now in earnest hope, 
I stand, and from the mountain top 

See all the land below. 
Rivers of milk and honey rise, 
And all the fruits of paradise 

In endless plenty grow." 



242 BE POSITIVE. 



XXXIV. 

Be Positive. 

The Bible is positive in all its statements. 
The religion of Jesns Christ is positive. All 
the work of the Spirit is positive; conviction, 
regeneration, the witness of the Spirit, pardon 
and purity, are alike positive; and so in every 
step in grace, from its beginning to its consum- 
mation in glory. Thinking, hoping, and 
guessing, that I am a child of God, is dis- 
pensed with in the work of grace. The real 
child of God has passed from the doubtful, 
misty, uncertainties, to a glorious realization 
of facts. We hear him exclaim, I know that 
my redeemer liveth, Glory to God! Again, 
whereas I was once blind, I now see. Once 
more, lam crucified with Christ, nevertheless 
Hive; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and 
the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by 
the faith of the Son of God. Brother, sister, 
dispose of your uncertain experiences, and get 
a positive, Bible holiness, bearing its legiti- 
mate fruit— righteousness, and peace, and joy 
in the Holy Ghost. 



THE DEAD LINE. 243 



XXXV. 
The Dead Line. 

During the great Bebellion, the rebels had, 
at Andersonville, a prison, or stockade, where 
our fathers, brothers, and sons were unmerci- 
fully murdered. Within this stockade was 
drawn a line, marking the utmost limits of 
their freedom, and this was called "The Dead- 
line." It said to the prisioners, "Thus far 
thou shalt go, and no farther." The penalty 
of death was inflicted upon all that approached 
this line. Many received the deadly bullet for 
daring to tread forbidden ground. 

The Dead-line fairly represents this world, 
and the utmost limits of our freedom. When 
God created man, he placed him in Paradise, 
and put around him the "dead-line," saying 
"In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt 
surely die." Adam transgressed the command 
of God, and received the death-penalty. Adam 
died. 

The Dead-line is still visible, and laid dowoi 
in the great Statute Book, as the "broad way 



244 THE DEAD LINE. 

that leads to death." We see almost every 
day, men and women approaching the Dead- 
line, and death ensues. " Whosoever, there- 
fore, will be a friend of the world, is the enemy 
of God." Was it not strange, that our boys 
in blue, in seeing their comrades shot down 
daily for approaching this line, would go in 
the same direction, and receive their fate? 

It is precisely so with many that profess the 
grace of God to-day. Women that were once 
saved in God, conforming to the divine com- 
mand, "I will that women adorn themselves 
in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and 
sobriety, not with broidered hair or gold, or 
pearls or costly array, but which becometh 
women professing godliness, with good works." 
But now, alas! how changed. The gold has 
become dim. Hearts that were all aglow with 
the love of God; tongues employed in giving 
glory to him, telling of his wondrous power to 
save; physical powers all devoted to the re- 
demption of a lost world; goods and chattels, 
all consecrated to the grand end of life eternal; 
time and talents; yea, all my store, more 
shouldst thou have if I had more, was the lan- 
guage of their hearts; but now, alas ! they 
have evidently been too near the % ' 'Dead-line." 
The odor of death is realized all through their 
ranks. It might well be sung — 



PUMP-LOGS. 245 

4 'Hark! from the tomb a doleful sound." 
Avoid the route that brings spiritual death ! 
"If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and 
cast it from thee," or anything as dear as the 
eye, for it is better to enter into life halt than 
to be cast into hell with all our members. 



XXXVII. 

Pump-Logs. 

They are used for conveying water from the 
fountain to the inhabitants in the valleys be- 
low. Should they become decayed — rotten, 
the water must of necessity be greatly injured, 
if not entirely spoiled. Frequently whole 
communities have been made sick, and in some 
cases many have died in consequence of using 
poisoned water. Every minister of the gospel 
is a drawer of water to his congregation. But 
if ministers become rotten by coming in con- 
tact with foreign substances— such as jesting, 



246 PUMP LOGS. 

filthy conversation, mingling in the society of 
the wordly minded, in parties of pleasure, join- 
ing hand in hand with secret oath-bound socie- 
ties, doing all for policy's sake, preaching a 
gospel to please ungodly professors of the re- 
ligion of Jesus Christ, or catering to the lusts 
and passions of the professedly unregenerate, 
wearing gold, sneering at those who profess to 
live without sin, treating lightly, or wholly ig- 
noring the doctrine of being made holy in this 
life — they must be indeed rotten pump logs. 
God expects that every minister, in his ministra- 
tions to the people, will convey the water of 
life pure. u Be ye holy," is the great com- 
mand ; and through the foolishness of preach- 
ing God intends to save them that believe. "Be 
ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." 



THE END. 247 



XXXVII. 

The End. 

THE GRAVE, is the end of all men, so far 
as this world goes ; especially, is this true in 
regard to the rich, they have their portion in 
this life ; they make no provision for the great 
hereafter, or the life that is to come. With 
them, it is emphatically, "Earth to earth, 
ashes to ashes and dust to dusty They see 
nothing beyond the grave worth their time and 
thought ; consequently they make marvelous, 
and very costly preparation for resting places 
for their bodies, and leave their souls, that 
must live forever, in bliss or woe, to chance. 
We give below the preparation that some of 
the millionaires have made for their bodies. 

The death and burial of such famous men as 
Grant, Tilden, Hendricks and Arthur, and the 
recent removal of the remains of William H. 
Vanderbilt from the receiving vault in the 
Moravian cemetery at NEW i>ORP to its final 
resting place in the big granite tomb, awaken 
an interest in the instances where well known 



248 THE END. 

living men have made provision for their inter- 
ment after death. All the beautiful cemeter- 
ies in the vicinity of New York, contain evi- 
dence of the care with which some men have 
arranged for their bodies a resting place after 
the soul has paesed into eternity. 

Woodlawn seems to take the lead. Although 
the late Commodore made no preparation for his 
grave except to own a modest little lot at New 
Dorp, and the newly constructed mausoleum 
of William H. Vanderbilt contains several cata- 
combs, several members of the family have se- 
cured beautiful plots at Woodlawn. Among 
the mausoleums built here, is that of the late 
Frederick Butterfield, erected long before he 
-died, which cost $40,000. 

OPPOSITE CORNELIUS VANDERBILT 5 S 
plot at Central and Poplar avenues, is that of 
William H. Appleton, joined by that of A. H. 
Borney. A little further along is a beautiful 
mausoleum of Westerly granite, built by Chris- 
tian Hester, of Hester Brothers. Mr. H. H. 
Cook, the millionaire of Seventy-Eighth street 
and Fifth avenue, paid $20,000 for a plot some- 
time ago, and is building a mausoleum which. 
will cost $40,000 more. A large plot on Beach- 
lawn, conspicuous for a large figure of Hope 
eight feet high, mounted on a pedestal rising 
thirty feet high, from a base nine feet square, 



THE EXD, 249 

marks the burial plot of William H. Have- 
meyer. H. M. Flagler, of the Standard oil 
company, lias a beautiful tomb built on a hill 
not far from that wherein rest the remains of 
Marshall O. Roberts, whose sarcophagus marks 
the same appreciation of art that characterized 
his life. 

COLLIS P. HUNTINGTON, president of the 
Central Pacific railway, and one of the best 
known of the magnates of Wall street, has 
laid some curious plans for his grave. He in- 
tends that his remains shall be laid to rest at 
Woodlawn, in a mausoleum more pretentions 
and more costly and of greater proportions 
than any yet built. The stones that will be 
used in its construction he proposes shall each 
be of such enormous weight that no ordinal y 
railroad car can carry them. They will be 
brought as near as possible to the cemetery by 
boat, and then rolled on immense rollers over 
the country roads to the site of the tomb. If 
they have to cross over bridges, they will be 
strengthened by new abutments. 

JAY GOULD has made elaborate provision 
for the disposition of his body after death ; 
but nothing for his soul. He has erected on 
Central avenue, in Wooclhaven cemetery a 
costly and imposing structure. It occupies 
the highest elevation of the grounds, and com- 



250 THE END. 

mands a view of the 400 acres given up to 
tenements of the dead. The ground on which 
the mausoleum stands is 250 feet across, and 
is circular in form. It cost $60,000. The 
mausoleum, the exterior of which is modeled 
after one of the most famous buildings that 
once stood on the Acropolis in Athens — the 
Parthenon cost $50,000. More than 800 tons 
cf Westerly granite was used in its construc- 
tion. The building is 37 feet long and 19 feet 
wide, and is surrounded by Doric pillars, thirty 
in number. Five pieces of solid granite com- 
pose the roof, each piece being 30 feet long and 
6 feet wide. The door is solid bronze and cost 
$3,000. Within the mausoleum are twelve 
shelves or catacombs, divided by an aisle 10 
feet wide, at the end of which is an ornate 
stained glass window, representing the heav- 
enly choir. Each of the catacombs is 8 feet 
long and 2 1-2 feet deep. A heavy slab of pol- 
ished marble constitutes the face of each, and 
will doubtless contain the name and so on of 
the person whose body is deposited therein. 
Imbedded in each stone is a heavy bronze han- 
dle. No name will appear on the outside of 
the mausoleum to show who lies buried within. 
Many more rich business men of New York 
and other parts of this country have made like 
preparation for their bodies when they die. 



THE END. 251 

LELAND STANFORD of California, is pre- 
paring a mausoleum of far greater pretensions 
than any other American ; when finished, it 
will cost $100,000. The site selected is a beau- 
tiful four acre plot in the Senator's grounds 
just outside San Francisco. The structure 
will be in the form of a temple, and will be 
twenty-five feet square. There will be a 
double row of massive granite columns sup- 
porting the roof of the portico at the front* 
On each side of the entrance will be a majestic 
sphynx carved from a single block of granite. 
Heavy bronze gates close the entrance, and 
within are solid doors of polished granite. 
The stone used is from Barre, Vermont. Ifc 
will be finished inside with polished marble 
from Italy. Here will rest the millionaire, 
wife and son, and here will end their history. 

CHARLEMAGNE, that in the eighth cen- 
tury, made Europe tremble by his political 
power, gave direction that when his body 
should be laid in the dust, it should not be 
like common mortals. He was therefore, ar- 
rayed in a royal mantle, and placed in a kingly 
chair. A crown crested with jewels, rested on 
his lifeless brow ; his favorite sword, Joyuse, 
was by his side, and the open scroll of the gos* 
pels on his knees ; and thus the mighty con* 
queror was left alone in his sealed tomb for one 



§52 THE END. 

hundred and eighty years. Then' it came into 
the mind one day of his successors to open this 
tomb and see how it fared with the great Em- 
peror, and what had become of the riches of 
his grand mausoleum. So King Otho ordered 
the sealed tomb to be opened, and with curious 
eye he entered this vault of death, CHARLE- 
MANGE sat there still! But Oh, what a 
ghastly sight ! The royal robes were dropping 
away from the skeleton form. The crowm had 
sunk over the skeleton brow, and this was the 
only mark of royalty left. Otho called, but 
the great Emperor was silent. He approached 
and touched the Monarch, but in an instant it 
collapsed into dust. No matter how great or 
prosperous our lives may have been here, all 
must end at last. Even a King's riches cannot 
bribe death and the mouldering graves. 

How much better it would have been, had 
these millionaires consecrated their lives, their 
wealth, their influence, to Jesus Christ. They 
might have secured to themselves robes of roy- 
alty, and crowns, all immortal, that would not 
Jiave crumbled at the touch of time, but grown 
brighter and brighter to all eternity. They 
bartered all for earth's gilded toys, O, think, 
of what they might have had, the unspeakable 
gift — a life in Christ. 

ETEENITY!— "What is Eternity? (^an aught 



THE END. 253 

Paint its duration to the thought? 
Tell every beam the sun emits, 
When in sublimest noon he sits ; 
Tell every light- winged mote that strays 
Within its ample round of rays; 
Tell all the leaves and all the buds 
That crown the garden, fields, and wood ; 
Tell all the spires of grass the meads 
Produce, when spring propitious leads 
The new-born year — 

Be this astonishing account 

Augmented with the full amount 

Of all the drops the clouds have shed 

Where'er their watery fleeces spread 

Through all time's long-protracted tour ; 

Tell all the sands the ocean laves, 

Tell all the changes of its waves, 

Or tell, with more laborious pains, 

The drops its mighty mass contains. 

sjs >Jc sjc ^c s}c 

Were there a belt that could contain 

In its vast orb the earth and main, 

With figures were it clustered o'er, 

And not one cipher in the score ; 

And could your laboring thoughts assign 

The total of the extended line : 

How vast the amount, the attempt how vain 

To read duration's endless chain ; 

For when as many years have run, 

Eternity is but begun ! 

Then think, O man, and strive to attain, 

The eternal life, the Immortal's gain I" 

"What is a man profited, if he shall gain 



254 conclusion. 

the whole world, and lose his own soul? or 
what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" 



XXXVIII. * 

Conclusion. 

It may be due the patient reader to know 
that I was born July the 18th, 1824, in the town 
of Scipio, Cayuga County, N. Y. I received 
some of the advantages derived from the com- 
mon schools of the day, but my most thorough 
drill has been the long and varied term of rug- 
ged experience, burnished up at the Universit y 
of wide-spread observation. Having had the 
blessing of the Lord on my heart while writing 
this book, and writing, as we humbly trust, for 
the glory of God, we now send it out to greet the 
dear saints — with the prayer that all that read 
it, may be greatly blessed and made much bet- 
ter for so doing. 

Yours in Christ, 

Rev. ZENAS OSBORNE. 



INDEX 



CHAP. SUBJECT. PAGE. 

Introduction 3 

Dedication 6 

" 1— A Translation 10 

" 2—1 Wanted to Swear 17 

*' 3— About My Tobacco 25 

" 4— The Plague of Narcotics 28 

" 5— A Call to the Ministry ... 33 

1 ' 6 — A Particular Providence 52 

" 7 — A Peculiar People 72 

" 8— The Free Methodist Church a Necessity 100 

" 9 — Dreams, Presentiments 121 

" 10— Healing Faith 141 

" 11— A Double Cure 161 

" 12— Justification 165 

" 13— A Direct Eoute 178 

" 14— Eest, But Not Loiter 181 

" 15— A Living Sacrifice 183 

" 16— The Law And The Gospel 188 

1 ' 17— Keep The Sabbath Day Holy 192 

" 18— Your Fruit Unto Holiness 197 

" 19— "Without Natural Affection 200 

" 20 — Sowing And Reaping 202 

" 21— To Actual Settlers 207 

" 22— The Widow's Mite 210 

" 23— Are We Drifting 213 

" 24— Pap 216 

" 25— Victory 218 

" 26— Lock Up 221 

" 27— A Success 224 

" 28— They Might Be A Success •. 227 

" 29— Fear, Or The Scare-crow Devil 229 

" 30— Trust - 232 

" 31— Seeing Eye To Eye 234 

" 32— The Edge Off 237 

" 33— The Old Salt Lick 239 

" 34— Be Positive 242 

u 35— The Dead Line 243 

" 36— Pump Logs 245 

" 37— The End 247 

" 38— Conclusion 254 






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